A Sermon Delivered by RUTH ANN STANTON on 9-10-1893, at Western Y. M. Conservative Friends held at Sugar Grove, Indiana
Previously Unpublished Material Transcribed from Archival Manuscripts by Tom Roberts, Made available to the editor by Edsel Burdge.
This is The Quaker Homiletics Online Anthology, Part 3: The 19th Century
Is this language of our Saviour applicable to us today? It seems to me the language is still coming up; I would gather you even as a hen gathereth her chickens if we were only willing. The Lord will have a willing and obedient people - if we are rebellious and refuse to obey, dear friends, the fault is ours, because the dear Lord is still calling and inviting us, and I believe he is mourning for the rebellious children of this generation today. When He was personally on earth with His chosen, they were a stiff neck, rebellious people, and he mourned over them. It seems to me that we might take a lesson and learn from the things that were written aforetime by the prophets unto us, who were inspired of God, I believe they were written for our warning, instruction, reproof and correction, to every one of us. So we come together this afternoon as professed worshipers of the Great I Am to learn what He would love to say to us. It seems to me it is good lessons he is teaching land left on record for us, and not for us alone, but for all who lived before, and those who come after, because I believe these truths were written for our learning and still stand today as in years ago when written and handed down to posterity from generation to generation.
We are living in an age which we have no reasonable excuse and we need to let these things occupy our attention and bear on our hearts as witness to the truth. But if we refuse and turn away, not obeying the Lord's command, we shall be accountable and cannot blame our brother or sister, though sometimes I believe the enemy of all good reaches into our midst and causes such a brother or sister not to walk uprightly as they should, diverting form the right path and doing things they should not have done.
We find there are many up and down in the world who are stumbling over the faults of others, trying to feed their soul on the very husks which the swine would fain eat. I desire that we may not let the faults and failings of others claim our attention and prevent us from doing what we ought to do and be prepared to meet our Judge. These things seem to rise before me and call for a few words of exhortation not to neglect that duty which is laid upon us and not stumble over the faults and failings of others, that we may enjoy life while we remain here-that peace the world does not give or take away,
I feel and realize that the invitation is still going forth, "How often would I have gathered thy children as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings." O, may we heed that cry, "Arise and open the door of our hearts and let the Saviour come in, even with a scourge of small cords and drive out the buyers and sellers and take possession in the temple of our hearts."
We have lived from year to year without realizing the King of Kings, the Lord of Glory to take up
his rule and reign in the temple of our hearts, but rather we have been living on the faults and
failings of others rather than looking to the condition of our own hearts.