THE SMUT IN THE CORN. 103 looking farmers, each of them holding a handful of the very same kind of ears. The truth was, there was a smut in the corn; and my companion and the two farmers knew, by the appearance of the ears, which were good, and which were filled with smut. In a little time, I, too, was able to distinguish the difference between the sound ears and those that were smutted. The. latter generally appeared as good, and in some instances better than those around them; but the practised eye could discover in them a slight tinge of blue or purple. This little incident called forth a train of reflections in my mind, strengthening my opinion, that most, or rather all, of God's works may afford us lessons of instruction. For a moment, I likened mankind to a wheat-field. I looked on human beings as the stems of standing corn; some holding up their heads proudly above their neighbours; some beaten down to the very ground by the storm which had passed over them; and others rustling and bustling to and fro, as the gale of interest or passion blew. But it is not the high ear in the corn, nor the low ear, neither is it the ear that is being blown about, that I wish to speak of. Something may be got from all these; but what can be got, or what can be hoped for, from the ear that is smutted? The 104 THE SMUT IN THE CORN. rest of the corn will ripen, and the smutted corn will appear to ripen also; but its dark juice will only dry up to a nauseous filthy powder, as black and as bitter as soot. The smutted corn is like a hypocrite; it appears to be what it is not. As the smutted corn is in the wheat-field, so is the hypocrite among mankind. Whether you know any hypocrites or not, it is very necessary to know that "the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment;" yea, that his "hope shall perish," and that his "trust shall be a spider's web," Job viii. 13, 14; xx. 5. If you look around you in the world, you will find that those who are upright and honest are willing to make known what they are; while those who are designing and dishonest take great pains to hide what they are: and the reason is plain : for the better we know an honest man, the more anxious are we to have dealings with him; but the better we know a rogue, the more careful are we to avoid him. The ignorant quack pretends to be a wise doctor; he boasts of the cures he has performed, and of the sovereign virtue of his worthless physic; he hides his real character. The swindler puts on a smooth face, bargains for goods, and talks about prices, jingles the money in his pockets, and promises payment the THE SMUT IN THE CORN. 105 moment they are delivered, though he never purposes to pay a farthing. The impostor ties up his leg, or his arm, or pretends to be blind, that he may ask for charity with more success. All these, like hundreds of others, are in disguise; they are deceivers, counterfeits, hypocrites. They are not what they seem to be they are smutted ears in the corn-field of mankind. It is bad enough to see hypocrisy around us; still worse to notice it in the same house with us; but worst of all to have it in our own bosoms. How is it with you u? Is all right within doors? Are you sound at the core? To be a hypocrite in the common affairs of life, is bad and base; but to be a hypocrite in holy things, is truly terrible. How severely did the Saviour rebuke hypocrisy! "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity," Matt. xxiii. 27, 28. How vainly does the hypocrite persuade himself that he is not known! Dissemble as much as he will, deceive as successfully as he may, there is still a shade of difference between him and those 106 THE SMUT IN THE CORN. he counterfeits, which may be observed by some of the quick-sighted among men; but, even if he escape the eye of man, how shall he escape the all-discerning eye of God? He who knows the secret thoughts, who tries the heart and the reins, can distinguish at a glance the good grain from the smutted corn. Happy is he who can say with godly sincerity, "I have chosen the way of truth." "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting," Psa. cxix. 30; cxxxix. 23, 24. We left the corn-field; and no doubt before this the wheat has been cut down by the sickle. It has been gathered into the garner, or piled in the stack-yard; but wherever it may be, the smutted ears are valueless, and, indeed, as I was informed, would prove injurious even to the good wheat. The scythe of death will soon cut us down: the upright in heart will be as wheat, the hypocrite as the chaff which the wind driveth away. How fearful, then, the words of holy writ, "He will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire!" Matt. iii. 12. THE SERPENT'S TAIL AND ITS HEAD. "THE serpent's tail," says Medrash Bamid ben Rabar, "had long followed the direction of the head, and all went on well. One day the tail began to be dissatisfied with this natural arrangement, and thus addressed the head :-'I have long, with great indignation, observed thy unjust proceedings. In all our journeys, it is thou that takest the lead, whereas I, like a menial servant, am obliged to follow behind. Thou appearest everywhere foremost; but I, like a miserable slave, must remain in the back-ground. Is this just? Is it fair? Am I not a member of the same body? Why should not I have management as well as thou?' Thou,' exclaimed the head, thou, silly tail, wilt manage the body! Thou hast neither eyes to see danger, nor ears to be apprised of it, nor brains to prevent it. Perceivest thou not that it is even for thy advantage that I should direct and lead?' For my advantage, indeed!' |