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to all a struggle and a pain。 How to carry this burden of life
had been the whole world's problem。 It is still the whole world's
problem。 And here is Christ's solution： 〃Carry it as I do。 Take
life as I take it。 Look at it from My point of view。 Interpret
it upon My principles。 Take My yoke and learn of me； and you will
find it easy。 For my yoke is easy； works easily； sits right upon
the shoulders； and THEREFORE My burden is light。〃
There is no suggestion here that religion will absolve any man from
bearing burdens。 That would be to absolve him from living； since
it is life itself that is the burden。 What Christianity does
propose is to make it tolerable。
Christ's yoke
is simply His secret for the alleviation of human life； His prescription
for the best and happiest method of living。 Men harness themselves
to the work and stress of the world in clumsy and unnatural ways。
The harness they put on is antiquated。 A rough； ill…fitted collar
at best； they make its strain and friction past enduring； by
placing it where the neck is most sensitive； and by mere continuous
irritation this sensitiveness increases until the whole nature is
quick and sore。
This is the origin； among other things； of a disease called
〃touchiness〃a disease which； in spite of its innocent name； is one
of the gravest sources of restlessness in the world。 Touchiness；
when it becomes chronic； is a morbid condition of the inward
disposition。 It is self…love inflamed to the acute point； conceit；
WITH A HAIR…TRIGGER。 The cure is to shift the yoke to some other
place； to let men and things touch us through some new and perhaps
as yet unused part of our nature； to become meek and lowly in heart
while the old sensitiveness is becoming numb from want of use。
It is the beautiful work of Christianity everywhere to adjust the
burden of life to those who bear it； and them to it。 It has a
perfectly miraculous gift of healing。 Without doing any violence
to human nature it sets it right with life； harmonizing it with
all surrounding things； and restoring those who are jaded with the
fatigue and dust of the world to a new grace of living。 In the
mere matter of altering the perspective of life and changing the
proportions of things； its function in lightening the care of man
is altogether its own。
The weight of a load depends upon the attraction of the earth。
Suppose the attraction of the earth were removed？ A ton on some
other planet； where the attraction of gravity is less； does not
weigh half a ton。 Now Christianity removes the attraction of the
earth； and this is one way in which it diminishes man's burden。
It makes them citizens of another world。 What was a ton yesterday
is not half a ton today。 So without changing one's circumstances；
merely by offering a wider horizon and a different standard； it
alters the whole aspect of the world。
Christianity as Christ taught is the truest philosophy of life ever
spoken。 but let us be quite sure when we speak of Christianity
that we mean Christ's Christianity。 Other versions are either
caricatures； or exaggerations； or misunderstandings； or shortsighted and
surface readings。 For the most part their attainment is hopeless
and the results wretched。 But I care not who the person is；
or through what vale of tears he has passed； or is about to pass；
there is a new life for him along this path。
III。 How fruits grow。
Were Rest my subject； there are other things I should wish to say
about it； and other kinds of Rest of which I should like to speak。
But that is not my subject。 My theme is that the Christian
experiences are not the work of magic； but come under the law of
Cause and Effect。 I have chosen Rest only as a single illustration
of the working of that principle。 If there were time I might next
run over all the Christian experiences in turn； and show the same
wide law applies to each； but I think it may serve the better
purpose if I leave this further exercise to yourselves。 I know no
Bible study that you will find more full of fruit； of which will
take you nearer to the ways of God； or make the Christian life
itself more solid or more sure。 I shall add only a single other
illustration of what I mean； before I close。
Where does Joy come from？ I knew a Sunday scholar whose conception
of Joy was that it was a thing made in lumps and kept somewhere
in Heaven； and that when people prayed for it； pieces were somehow
let down and fitted into their souls。 I am not sure that views
as gross and material are not often held by people who ought to be
wiser。 In reality； Joy is as much a matter of Cause and Effect as
pain。 No one can get Joy by merely asking for it。 It is one of
the ripest fruits of the Christian life； and； like all fruits； must
be grown。 There is a very clever trick in India called the mango
trick。 A seed is put in the ground and covered up； and after diverse
incantations a full…blown mango…bush appears within five minutes。
I never met any one who knew how the thing was done； but I never
met any one who believed it to be anything else than a conjuring
trick。 The world is pretty unanimous now in its belief in the
orderliness of Nature。 Men may not know how fruits grow； but they
do know that they cannot grow in an hour。 Some lives have not even
a stalk on which fruits could hang； even if they did grow in an
hour。 Some have never planted one seed of Joy in all their lives；
and others who may have planted a germ or two have lived so little
in sunshine that they never could come to maturity。
Whence； then； is joy？ Christ put His teaching upon this subject
into one of the most exquisite of His parables。 I should in any
instance have appealed to His teaching here； as in the case of Rest；
for I do not wish you to think I am speaking words of my own。 But
it so happens that He has dealt with it in words of unusual fullness。
I need not recall the whole illustration。 It is the parable of
the Vine。 Did you ever think why Christ spoke that parable？ He
did not merely throw it into space as a find illustration of general
truths。 It was not simply a statement of the mystical union； and
the doctrine of an indwelling Christ。 It was that； but it was
more。 After He had said it； He did what was not an unusual thing
when He was teaching His greatest lessonsHe turned to the disciples
and said He would tell them why He had spoken it。 It was to tell
them
How to get joy。
〃These things I have spoken unto you；〃 He said； 〃that My Joy might
remain in you； and that your Joy might be full。〃 It was a purposed
and deliberate communication of His
Secret of Happiness。
Go back over these verses； then； and you will find the Causes of
this Effect； the spring； and the only spring； out of which true
Happiness comes。 I am not going to analyze them in detail。 I ask
you to enter into the words for yourselves。
Remember； in the first place； that the Vine was the Eastern symbol
of Joy。 It was its fruit that made glad the heart of man。 Yet；
however innocent that gladnessfor the expressed juice of the
grape was the common drink at every peasant's boardthe gladness
was only a gross and passing thing。 This was not true happiness；
and the vine of the Palestine vineyards was not the true vine。
〃CHRIST was the TRUE Vine。〃 Here； then； is the ultimate source
of Joy。 Through whatever media it reaches us； all true Joy and
Gladness find their source in Christ。
By this； of course； is not meant that the actual Joy experienced
is transferred from Christ's nature； or is something passed on from
Him to us。 What is passed on is His method of getting it。 There
is； indeed； a sense in which we can share another's joy or another's
sorrow。 But that is another matter。 Christ is the source of Joy
to men in the sense in which He is the source of Rest。 His people
share His life； and therefore share its consequences； and one of
these is Joy。 His method of living is one that in the nature of
things produces Joy。 When He spoke of His Joy remaining with us
He meant in part that the causes which produced it should continue
to act。 His followers； （that is to say）； by REPEATING His life
would experience its accompaniments。 His Joy； His kind of Joy；
would remain with them。
The medium through which this Joy comes is next explained： 〃He that
abideth in Me； the same bringeth forth much fruit。〃 Fruit first；
Joy next； the one the cause or medium of the other。 Fruit…bearing
is the necessary antecedent； Joy both the necessary consequent and
the necessary accompaniment。 It lay partly in the bearing fruit；
partly in the fellowship which made that possible。 Partly； that
is to say； Joy lay in mere constant living in Christ's presence；
with all that that implied of peace； of shelter； and of love；
partly in the influence of that Life upon mind and character and
will； a