A word from William

A WORD FROM WILLIAM The Unchangeable Saviour

Continuing a monthly series of messages that William Booth sent to corps to be read in Sunday meetings

23 FEBRUARY 1908

THIS world is a world of change from the beginning to the end. Many of its changes are useful and profitable and, therefore, interesting. For instance, there are the seasons. What interest and pleasure these changes impart to our lives. There is the weather. We are always grumbling at its changeableness, but only think how good it is for us.

There are also the changes of comradeship and command which we, as Salvationists, are ever experiencing. The coming and going of the officers of the corps or of the division make things not only more useful but more lively.

The changes which belong to growth from childhood to youth and from youth to maturity are also of great interest. What a difference in the enjoyment of life there would have been if we had all come into the world full-grown men and women! I do not think such an arrangement would have been as good for us.

Then there is the change that comes last of all – the passing out of time into eternity. Death is at best a mournful event, but none of us who have a good hope of the change from Earth to Heaven would wish to continue here for ever.

However, there are many other changes which cannot be considered either profitable or desirable.

There is backsliding, breaking your vows to your Lord and throwing up your hope of Heaven. If you have been guilty of such conduct, and have not repented and returned to the Lord, let me implore you to make the change from the prodigal’s miserable condition in the far country to the Father’s heart and home.

There are some changes of friendship that are deplorable. For two hearts and lives once joined together in close affection to be separated in spirit and action must be a distressing change indeed. But when those two hearts or two lives belong to members of the same family, it is the more painful still.

What a calamity when a husband’s affection for his wife, or a daughter’s for her mother, changes into indifference or into a still worse condition. It seems to me that there is only one change which could cause more pain to a human heart, and that would be if the Saviour were to change. If he could no longer forgive; if he were tired of interceding at the Father’s throne; if he were to withdraw the comfortings of his Spirit; if he would no longer let his sun rise and his rain fall.

But, ten thousand hallelujahs, there is a friend who changes not! His name is Jesus. He is ever the same.

That means he loves us as much as he did the hour he came down from Heaven to save us. How he must have loved you to face the humiliation, hardship, scorn and suffering of the life he lived. But it was so. And I want you to see and feel that he loves you just as much now as he did then.

He knew all about your unworthiness, he realised the poor return some of you would make for his love, but these things did not deter him from coming. And he has the same pitying love for you today. You have not worn out his compassion.

He loves you the same as he did at that solemn moment when he died for you. There may be some who would give their money or their time or their country to save you from suffering or death, but very few who would give up their lives. Perhaps it would puzzle you to name one. But Jesus gave up his life for you. What a love that must have been! And he has not changed. He loves you as well today as he did when he broke his mighty heart for you on the cross.

Do you remember that hour when he whispered in your heart, ‘Your sins are all forgiven’? Oh, what a wonderful moment that was! And he loves you just as much today as he did then.

But have you changed? You loved him in days gone by. You worshipped him, praised him, spoke of his love with great delight to whomsoever would listen. You served him. It was your joy to stand up for him in the street.

Is it your delight to fight for him today? If you can say yes, then I rejoice with you. But if any change has taken place in your assurance, in your joy or in your usefulness, the cause lies with you, not with him; for he is the same yesterday and today and for ever.

Major David Alton reflects on the meaning and experience of Pentecost

IGOT the day off school for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977. I do not recall how I marked the Golden Jubilee in 2002, but I do remember singing and dancing with friends at an open-air concert in London as part of Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012.

Recollections of such occasions can be sketchy, unless one has total recall or an extensive collection of diaries. That said, commemorative mugs and other memorabilia may stir one’s memories.

The Platinum Jubilee is an opportunity to give thanks to God for the life of Her Majesty the Queen and celebrate her 70 years of dedicated service. The Queen’s Christian faith has been a great source of strength and comfort to her. In her Christmas message in 2000 she said: ‘For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life.’ More recently, in her Christmas broadcast in 2020, she stated: ‘The teachings of Christ have served as my inner light.’

Her Majesty’s personal testimony is consistent with her historic title of ‘Defender of the Faith’ and speaks to how her Christian faith underpins her life, work and service.

This year’s Pentecost Sunday falls on the final day of the four-day Platinum Jubilee commemorations and celebrations. Pentecost is a day when Christians commemorate and celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Platinum Jubilee and Pentecost – what a significant juxtaposition of celebrations!

The Day of Pentecost itself involves a juxtaposition of celebrations. Pentecost, meaning ‘50th day’, refers to the Jewish festival of Shavuot celebrated on the 50th day after Passover. It is one of three annual Jewish harvest festivals, as well as being a thanksgiving for the first fruits of the wheat harvest (see Leviticus 23:17). In addition to the marking of harvest, Jewish tradition suggests that it was at Shavuot that Moses received the Law – the Torah – from God. No wonder that, when the Day of Pentecost came, ‘there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under Heaven’ (Acts 2:5) – they were there for Shavuot and all that it meant.

Why did God choose that day to fill followers of Jesus with the Holy Spirit as Jesus had promised in Acts 1:4? Why do the two celebrations occur together?

Two key events in the life of Jesus revealed that there was no longer distance between humanity and God: in the Nativity ‘the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us’ (John 1:14) and in the Crucifixion our sins were forgiven. At Pentecost the coming of the Holy Spirit showed us that we