Numbers i. 1, 2, 19.
“And the Lord spake unto
Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the
congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second
year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, take
ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel . .
. As the Lord commanded Moses,
so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.”
The reading the words of the text,
dear brethren, will make it obvious, that I desire this evening,
to direct your attention to thoughts connected with the great
national act now taking place, the numbering the people, the
census. Whilst the preacher of the Gospel should be
exceedingly careful, not to allow the things of time and sense to
form the burden of his ministry, yet there is much wisdom and
profit, in making use of those temporal matters which are
engaging men’s thoughts, as vehicles for reminding them of
spiritual and eternal verities. By such a course a fitting
direction is given to the minds of believers; their
contact with worldly duties is made a means of promoting their
spiritual life. By such a course also the attention of the
still unconverted is arrested, and those startling truths which tend
to the awakening of the soul, find sometimes, by God’s
blessing, a lodgment in the memory, because of their association
with topics of worldly interest. I pray that my endeavour
this evening to improve the occasion of this important national
act—the taking of the census—by suggesting a few
thoughts in connection with it, may be blessed of the Holy Spirit
to the honour of our God, and the good of our souls.
I would classify my remarks, because I wish them to form the
material of much afterthought on your parts, under these
divisions:—
1st. The propriety and uses of a
national census, and our duty with regard to it.
2nd. The thoughts which arise from the
questions of the census paper.
3rd. An omission in the census paper
suggesting an important line of thought.
4th. The final census.
(I.) The propriety and uses of a national census, and
our duty with regard to it.
Enumerations of the people, more or less complete, have found
place in almost all nations. They seem an obvious necessity
in all collections of men pretending to a national
existence. Without them all legislation for the internal
welfare of a country and for its external defence must be mere
hap-hazard work. Those to whom is committed the heavy burden of
ruling a great people such as this, have I think, a positive
right to all that information from the governed which may help
them in the discharge of their onerous and responsible
duties. It is not patriotic, to use no loftier term, to
look upon our government with the jaundiced eye of suspicion,
more especially when it exercises no undue inquisitiveness, and
pledges itself, as the government of our day does by the terms of
the census forms, that “The facts will be published in
general abstracts only, and strict care will be taken that the
returns are not used for the gratification of
curiosity.”
Of course, dear friends, I am not qualified to speak fully of
the uses of a national census—a statesman only could do
this, yet it is self-evident that everything which tends to the
amelioration of public evils and the furtherance of the public
good, must be subserved by the statistics so gained. Not
only distinctive legislation, but also all our schemes for the
extension of education and the promotion of the work of
Christ’s Church can only find arguments, exactitude, and
adaptation from the knowledge to be gained by a national
census. I could enter into some details, were it necessary
or desirable in this place, to illustrate and prove these points:
but I think you will all be prepared to admit at once that it is
self-evident, that the plans of our rulers, and the efforts of
the philanthropical among us to do good in their day and
generation, must be very greatly facilitated by the
information the census papers, if faithfully filled up, will
afford.
It seems strange that a measure so obviously proper and useful
should have had so many difficulties to contend with, and that
these difficulties should not have wholly disappeared before the
boasted enlightenment of the nineteenth century. Prejudice
must have been intensely strong in days gone by; for it would
seem to have to bear, deservedly, the chief blame for past
neglect in seeking the important information which can alone be
obtained through this channel. It was not till 1801, I
believe, that the first actual enumeration of the people of
England and Scotland took place, although an imperfect attempt to
ascertain the number of the population had been made in the
previous century. Since 1801 the census taking has become
more general in the United Kingdom. England and Scotland
were again enumerated in 1811, and since then at the decennial
periods of 1821, ’31 ’41 ’51; Ireland has also
been included in these latter census takings, and we may hope
that as the people become more accustomed to the matter, and more
thoughtful as to its uses, all remnants of the antiquated
prejudice which hindered it so long, will die out. I would
help towards this desirable end by noticing for a passing moment
the most prevalent objection urged against the census.
It is not in a few quarters that you hear, and probably in
still more quarters the notion is held, that the census is
unscriptural, and therefore will bring down upon the nation a
curse and not a blessing. Whence does this notion
arise? From a mistaken interpretation of Scripture.
Do you not remember, says the objector, in a tone which implies
that he thinks he is about to demolish your case at once, Do you
not remember that David sinned in numbering the people, and that
in consequence a pestilence slew thousands of his subjects?
Yes, I remember well the Scripture fact. David sinned in
numbering the people, but that does not therefore prove that
numbering the people is an act in itself wrong. David
sinned because he did a right thing from a wrong motive.
Shall we say that almsgiving is sinful because some give from
ostentation and pride? Surely not. David numbered his
people to gratify his pride, to see his way to the carrying out
designs of ambitious conquest, concerning which, because he knew
he was doing wrong, he took not counsel of God. And if we
now number the people in this vain-glorious, God-neglecting,
proud, self-reliant spirit, then we too sin. But surely to
number them with the view, under God, of furthering the internal
welfare of the kingdom and securing the defence of the precious
privileges God has given us to guard, is not to act in
David’s sinful spirit. Let us pray for ourselves and
rulers, my friends, that God may be recognised in this census
taking, that thanks may be given to Him for any increase and
progress in our nation this census may discover, and that as He
has cared for us in the past, we may make all our plans for the future
under the direction of His teaching and in dependence upon His
blessing.
But in truth, dear friends, this objection from Scripture is
fully met and controverted in Scripture itself. God can
never be the author of evil, yet you will notice in our text, and
you will find the same thing in the 26th chapter of this book of
Numbers, that God himself, at the commencement and close of
Israel’s journey in the wilderness, commanded the numbering
of the people above a certain age. What God has once
commanded cannot in itself be wrong, else were God the author of
evil. The right thing becomes a wrong thing in us, when we
do it in a wrong and sinful spirit.
And now, dear friends, if you are satisfied that the taking
the census is not only not contrary to, but sanctioned by
Scripture, and that its uses are most important to the welfare of
the state, bear with me if I urge upon you your duty with regard
to the paper you will deliver into the hand of the appointed
enumerator to-morrow. You are bound to fill up that
paper carefully and faithfully.
I might urge a selfish motive to induce you to do so;
the future welfare of the state,—politically, socially,
religiously,—depends in a measure upon the exactitude of
the returns—the interest of each is bound up in the
interest of all—what furthers the public weal will enhance
your private benefit.
I urge
again this duty upon the ground of your obligations to your
neighbour. To the discharge of this care for his good,
religion binds you; and so also your position as a citizen of
this country. You have no right to say you will do, and
have a right to do, as you please in this matter. You
receive great and unspeakable benefits from being a member of an
organised and governed society, where might is not right, but all
are under the protection of the law; and for these benefits you
give up,—are bound to give up, a portion of your individual
liberty, else were all government at an end, and submit yourself
to such ordinances as those who have public authority given to
them in this realm consider to be for the common good.
And further, I urge a yet higher motive. You are bound
to see to the filling up of this census paper carefully and
faithfully, without any wilful deceit, as a duty to
God. “The powers that be are ordained of God; he
therefore that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of
God.” That is a false, dishonest, ungodly axiom which
finds place in the world, that men may act, nay are rather to be
applauded for acting towards government, in a manner in which
they would be ashamed to act towards their fellow men. To
rob and deceive government is no less robbery and deception, in
the sight of God, than robbery and deception practised towards
private persons. Public conscience, methinks, needs this
lesson in many a particular—in none more than in the matter of
withholding legal dues, and thus defrauding not only the public
purse, but also our fellow countrymen, our friends and
neighbours.
This duty then is before us. The census paper should
be filled up carefully and faithfully, because it is a duty
to self, a duty to our neighbours, a duty to our God, so to
discharge a work which has Scripture warrant, and on which the
material, political, social, religious welfare of our country so
much depends. I do not think, dear friends, that I am
acting contrary to my ministerial office in thus speaking, for I
remember I am the teacher of the religion which says,
“Submit yourself to every ordinance of man for the
Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king as supreme, or unto
governors as unto them that are sent by Him for the punishment of
evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well;” the
religion which says “Honour all men. Love the
brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.”
(II.) And now, dear friends, let me invite you to ponder
over a few thoughts which arise from the questions of the
census.
The census paper lies before us, and as we glance at its
headings, we cannot help feeling that it makes a certain
stand-point not only in the national, but also in our
personal history. It bids us cast our eyes back upon the
past. It cries to us, in no hesitating tones, as to the
present, “Man, know thyself.” It compels us to
look
forward into the all-undefined future, and wonder what shall
be.
As the questions bid you write concerning yourself and others,
surely they bid you ponder over personal and relative
duties. Have they been fulfilled in the past? Are
they being fulfilled at the present? How will they be
fulfilled in the future?
You write in your own name,—your Christian
name. Is it a cheat, or a true outspeaking of your
character?
You write your age. How long have I
lived?—ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy
years. The past, the past! the things of which God
requires, how spent? How long have I to live? When
the next census comes, will my name be enrolled in it?
There must come a time when it will cease to be entered in human
records. How soon? Some died the very day of the last
census; some the day, the week, the year after. It may be
thus with me this time. Am I ready to die? How long
have I to live?
You write the name of your wife. She sees you
write it. Are not both reminded of solemn vows plighted in
the presence of, and in dependence upon the strength and blessing
of God? Have those vows been fulfilled or broken? Are
they being now fulfilled? Are ye helpers or hinderers of
one another’s salvation?
You write the names of your children, ‘the
heritage and gift which has come to you from the
Lord.’ A fearfully responsible stewardship! By
lip, and life, how have you trained them? How are you
training them? How will you train them? Is it in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord? Is it for time or
eternity,—for mammon or for God,—for hell or for
heaven? No man liveth to himself. You must influence
their present and eternal state. How?
And, young people, I have a word for you. Your
father and mother call you, and you stand by their side as they
enter your names and ages in the census paper, and so record you
as their sons and daughters. Is it not well for you at such
a time to pause, and think, and ask, Have I loved and obeyed the
parents God in mercy has given me, as I ought to have done?
Have I honored my father and my mother according to the first
commandment with promise? Have I copied His example, of
whom, though He was Lord of All, it is written concerning His
conduct as the Son of Man towards His parents, “He was
subject unto them”?
The next heaviest curse to the curse of those despising the
Saviour, is the curse awaiting those who set light by father or
mother. See to it, my young friends, that that curse light
not on you.
You write in the names of your dependents. Think,
do you obey the Scripture injunction, “Masters, give unto
your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also
have a Master in heaven”? Think, will any of them
be able to present against you the condemning accusation,
“No man cared for my soul”?
Your names are being written in, ye servants.
Should not the question arise in your minds, Am I a servant such
as God would approve, ‘obeying in all things my masters
according to the flesh; not with eye service, as men pleasers,
but in singleness of heart, fearing God: whatsoever I do, doing
it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the
Lord I shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for I serve
the Lord Christ’?
You write your occupation. Is it a calling you
are ashamed to write? We will suppose it is a lawful
one. Arises not the question, How fulfilled? With
industry,—with honesty? Am I free from the deceits
and trickeries so common in profession and trade, labouring to
have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards
man? Do I remember, God would have me “diligent in
business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord”?
Have I ceased to have anything to do with the busy
avocations of men? Is it that sickness has removed me
from the active labours of life, or that prosperous circumstances
enable me to live at ease, apart from the vexations and cares of
business? How is the leisure,—how are the means
spent? Both are talents for which account must be
given. What account shall I be able to render, when the
Lord comes to reckon with His servants?
This
census paper,—ten years have passed since the last
came. Ten years! How quickly flown: and yet a seventh
portion of that span of life,—the allotted term, to the end
of which so few, few reach. Ten years! how many sins
have the moments which composed them witnessed! Multitudes
forgotten by me; not one unregistered in heaven. Will they
appear against me? Have they been cancelled? Have I
sought pardon, where alone pardon can be found for them, in the
cleansing fountain of the Saviour’s blood?
Ten years! How many troubles have they
witnessed! Troubles,—ah, but how many mercies
too! Think of THESE. Troubles and
mercies,—which were most in number in the ten years
passed? You can count your troubles, can you count your
blessings? Are you willing, in the next ten years,
to make this exchange: to let the troubles of the past ten years
be the measure of your mercies in the next ten years; and to let
the mercies of the past ten years be the measure of your troubles
in the coming ten?
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me,
bless His Holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget
not all His benefits.” (Psa. ciii.)
Yes, the past of national mercies and personal mercies, calls
for hallelujahs of adoring thanksgiving. And that
past we ought gladly to hail, as the pledge of
continued blessing in the future. Let us enter on
that future,—the way we have not passed by
heretofore,—singing, “Ebenezer, hitherto the Lord hath helped
us.” “The Lord will provide.”
But this thought of God’s mercies leads me to notice a
connected topic, viz. the propriety and expediency of making
special offerings to God on this solemn epoch in our
history. It was suggested to me by a respected member of
the congregation, that we should have special collections
to-day; and the suggestion was urged by the most forcible of all
arguments, an appeal to Scripture. Exodus xxx. 11–16
was referred to. It is written there,—
“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, When
thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number,
then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the
Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among
them, when thou numberest them. This they shall give, every
one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel
after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:)
an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord. Every one
that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old
and above, shall give an offering unto the Lord. The rich
shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a
shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an
atonement for your souls. And thou shalt take the atonement
money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the
service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a
memorial
unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement
for your souls.”
In connexion with these verses, I have read the following
remarks in a letter in the public press: “There has never,
to my knowledge, been in England,” says the writer in the
religious periodical, “such a national offering as is here
indicated; but there has been on three occasions a remarkable and
progressive coincidence of calamity: thus after 1831, cholera;
after 1841, blight, influenza, cholera; and after 1851, cholera,
murrain, war.”
I deeply regret, my friends, that such words as these have
ever appeared in print; none could well be more mischievous,
because none could well be more likely to encourage the mistaken
notion I met, and I trust controverted, at the beginning of my
sermon. The writer seems to imply, that these calamities
followed because an offering was not made. It is
God’s, not man’s province to trace such
connections. I believe he has misconceived the teaching of
Exod. xxx. 11–16, and would make a temporary injunction of
permanent force. I state what I believe to be the true
meaning of the passage, in the words of a most able biblical
scholar: “This tax is not in Scripture mentioned in
connection with any other census” (save the one recorded in
the first chapter of Numbers), “and we are of opinion that
it was only a temporary measure to raise funds for the
making of the tabernacle.”
The suggestion therefore kindly made to me, I have not adopted,
because I did not think the Scripture proof adduced was
sufficient to make it imperative, and I was not willing to press
upon your liberality by having a formal collection. Still I
do feel the spirit of Scripture would teach, that this is
a very fitting season for making thank-offerings to God, for His
love in the past, and for the blessing of continued life.
You who so feel with me can act as your consciences
dictate. Would you devote your offerings to the service of
this tabernacle of God, the boxes at the doors can receive
them. Would you rather aid some special religious work,
missionary or otherwise, I shall be happy to become the medium of
conveying your gifts to the proper persons.
This census paper. Ten years have passed since the last
census. How many changes in the family have taken
place since then? Some joyful, some sorrowful. Some
joyful surely: names that were missing then, are found
now; divided families have become united; little ones, blessed
sunbeams from heaven, have been sent to cheer and gladden the
home; and poor prodigals have come back again to the early loved
threshold, and found peace in a loving father’s embrace,
happy, if not only in an earthly father’s, but in a
Heavenly One’s too.
But sorrowful changes also, have those ten years seen;
and as surely will the next ten. Another name than that
entered at the last census, is now recorded under the division,
“Write the name of the head of the family.” “The
head of the family!” He sleeps in the silent
tomb. And where is now the wife’s, the
mother’s, the child’s, the brother’s, or the
sister’s name? ’Twas written in the census
paper in 1851; it must not be written in the census paper of
1861. Their names are written on the churchyard stone, the
clods of the valley are sweet to them. Ah, did we love them
as we ought to have done? Did we love them as we wish now
we had done? Happy, happy, those families, who, united not
only in the bonds of nature but of grace, can look forward to the
time when, through faith in a living Saviour, they shall meet in
that land where partings are unknown; that land where there shall
be no more death.
Sorrowful changes have the past ten years seen.
Some filled up the last census paper in a mansion who will fill
up this one in a garret. Riches have taken to themselves
wings, and flown away. Ye who are prosperous now, remember
the fleeting character of earthly possessions. Some entered
then the names of children who have since dashed their cup of
hope to the ground, and who will this time find entry, not in a
father’s home, but in a felon’s prison house.
Well, in heaven you will bless the stroke which taught you this
is not your rest, and bid you seek that abiding rest which
remaineth for the people of God. Aye, and even here, amid
gloom and sadness, light shall break in upon your darkness, if ye
rest, believers, upon the promise, “All things work together for good to them
that love God.”
This
census paper! Ten years have passed. Ten years
of the time given to work out my salvation with fear and
trembling. Have I gone forward, or have I gone backward in
religion? Am I nearer to, or further from God?
Answer,—am I more like, or more unlike my Saviour?
(III.) These questions are not asked of me in the census
paper. No, my friends; and the omission of all
reference to religion in that paper, is just the very
point which I think may suggest a most important line of
thought. Mind, my friends, I find no fault with the census
paper for this omission. One perhaps could wish, that
statistics as to the numbers of the various religious bodies, and
the number of worshippers, could have been obtained; but I doubt
not, there were great difficulties in the way; and temptations to
unfair returns, and indulgence of angry passions, may thus
perhaps have been avoided. And, after all, though I will
not yield to any man in regret at, and condemnation of, the sad
schism and division which exist in Christ’s Church, yet I
cannot help feeling, that the absence of distinctive
classification of religious bodies in the census, is just what
will find place at LAST. Then
the question will not be, were you Episcopalian or Nonconformist?
but, Did you love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and
truth? And, with the Apostle, I say, may grace be with all
those who do so.
But, my
friends, although the census paper asks you not this year about
your professed religion, remember God is always taking His
census, as to the state of your REAL religion. In the never-failing
memory of God, your name, age, dwelling, and true description,
are all noted down. He is spying out all our ways. We
cannot keep any secret from Him. “All things are
naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to
do.” In His census taking, He makes two grand
divisions,—foes, friends;—not in His Church, in His
Church;—unbelievers, believers;—lost, saved.
Now, my friends, if you could see under which division God has
written your names, think you, would it be among the lost or
saved? Nay, you may know that now, for a
certainty. Listen to the Word of God: “Except ye
repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
Have you repented? Do you repent? “He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that
believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of
God abideth on him.” Now have you believed in, do
you believe in Jesus for salvation, pardon, acceptance, peace,
glory? “Without holiness no man shall see the
Lord.” Are you fighting against sin, are you
striving to be holy?
Oh my friends, it is, methinks, a proud thing to have
one’s name enrolled, by means of this census, as a citizen
of free happy England; but ’tis a far prouder thing to have
it enrolled as a citizen of Heaven, of the kingdom which shall
know no decay.
Oh see
to it that you make sure work of your state before God. It
is a blessed thing to think, that though God may have had your
name for many, many long years in His census book among the list
of the lost,—His foes; He is yet willing, nay is longing to
transfer it, upon your repentance, faith, obedience, to the list
of the saved,—His friends. See to it, I say, that the
name you bear as your description, a Christian, be a true
name, witnessed in your occupations of penitence for sin, trust
in Jesus, holy living to God; for remember, remember, the
IV. Final census will ere
long be taken, which shall consign each one of us to
irretrievable woe, or usher us to inconceivable blessings.
Yes, presently, angels will play the part of enumerators.
They will not indeed seek information of you, for God knows them
that are His, and them that are not. Then before the great
white throne you will stand, and all your life will be
told. There an assembled world must meet,—not one
missing; and then the angels will play their part in the great,
the final census. Then will they discern between the
righteous and the wicked; then will they separate between the
just and the unjust, the believers in Jesus, and those who have
not believed in Him. Then will it be declared whether my
name, and thine, my friend, be written or not written in the
Lamb’s book of life, and on that issue will depend whether
we be registered in the book of Eternity as citizens of hell, or
as citizens of heaven.
Brethren, now is the time to decide which it will
be. The choice, under God, is in our hands to-day,
to-morrow may be too late.
“There’s no repentance in the
grave,
Nor hope of pardon there.”
And there, in the grave, you may be, I say not before
another census taking comes, but before another day dawns.
The names of some of those who are at this moment written in the
census-paper as among the living, will have to be withdrawn,
erased, before that paper be handed to the enumerator to-morrow
morning, and entered in another register, the register of the
dead. It may be so in the case of some here to-night.
With which one shall it be so? With which one?
“Lord, is it I?”
SEELEY,
ISLINGTON GREEN.