A Sermon Delivered by HULDA REES, February 7, 1891, Portsmouth, R.I.
Rees, Byron J., ed. Hulda, The Pentecostal Prophetess. Philadelphia: Christian Standard Co., 1898, pages 58-62.
This is The Quaker Homiletics Online Anthology, Part Three: The 19th Century.
The entire chapter from which this text is taken is a prophecy concerning the
coming of Christ and the glorious reign of His Church and kingdom.
In ancient times they cast up highways over which rulers, armies and great
personages passed. God has east up an elevated road for His people, and termed
it "the way of holiness. This is God's designation of the way, and we will not
dare, therefore, to call it "a deeper work of grace," or "the higher life." We will
be ashamed of neither Him nor His words.
You will notice that there is a way distinguished from the highway. Someone
compared "the way of holiness" to an elevated road, such as is seen in New York
or Chicago, while the highway is the surface line. The former is above the dust
and dirt which annoy the passengers in the cable or trolley car.
It is a clean way. "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and
spirit." "From all your idols will I cleanse you." "The unclean shall not pass
over" this way. They shall neither defile it by their presence, nor disturb the
pilgrims who journey upon it.
God demands cleanness. The Church is filled with worldliness. The heart is
made sick when we see the great tide of worldliness which engulfs the people
generally; but, thank God, here is a place where the unclean cannot come.
Uncleanness cannot even "pass on," to say nothing of remaining in this way.
It is a safe way. "No lion nor any ravenous beast!" This is the one safe place in
the world. To think that men are afraid to trust God, when this is the only way in
which we are safe from the brutes and beasts of evil! Bunyan saw lions, but they
were chained; and trusting his God, he passed unharmed to the House Beautiful.
If you are a backbiter, a slanderer, a malicious gossip, you are a "ravenous
beast," and you do not travel this way; you are not "found there."
"The redeemed shall walk there." God deals not only in negatives, but in
positives. He not only informs who shall not walk there, but describes those who
shall and do. This is a prepared way for a prepared people. One must have an
adequate preparation in order to enter upon this way. You say: "You make the
way too narrow, too strict." God forbid that I should alter or abridge or modify
God's means and methods of saving men. Men and women who ave "redeemed"
walk there; redeemed not with silver and gold, but with the blood of Jesus. They
were rebels; now they are disciples. They were at one time sinners; now they are
saints. Formerly "darkness;" now they are "light."
"They shall walk there." The text does not say that they shall even groan and
struggle to walk there and then never do it, but "they shall walk there." God
assures us of this; why should we doubt? The man who, so far as we know, first
tried to "walk there" made a success of it. For three hundred years he walked
with God, and "he was not for God took him." He kept walking with God so far
that one day he went off from earth with the Lord, and never came back. And yet
Enoch was not an angel, but a man. He was not a recluse, not a monk. He had
cares and trials just as truly as we do. He passed through domestic and family
cares, for he was the father of "sons and daughters."
Abraham walked with God. We cannot walk with God and also with the world at
the same time. The commands and admonitions in Scripture are very explicit on
this point. We cannot fellowship a disorderly brother even: "Now we command
you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves
from every brother that walketh disorderly.'' There is but one way to associate
with the world, and that is as Jesus did.
"The wayfaring man." They who journey on the road are of this character; they
are simply passing through; they do not belong here; they are citizens of another
country; they indulge in no worldly schemes for money-making; they meddle
with no unholy speculations.
What, can "the fool" have it? Yes; the text says he can. In the eyes of the world
every traveler in this way is a fool, but in walking in this way he shows his
wisdom.
"Shall not err." God has promised that as long as we stay in this way nothing
shall cause us to sin. He has vouchsafed His protection in this "way."
"Everlasting joy." God expects his people to be happy. Jesus was glad. He was anointed with the "oil of gladness." "I delight to do Thy will." This is one quality possessed by these travelers. They are glad. They started out on the day of Pentecost in great exuberance and gush of joy. Bloody persecution, fire, mobs, threats, imprisonments-none of these things saddened them. This joy is for us all! Bless the Lord!