Photo by Karren McPherson from Dawson Community Church
I want to share with you some reflections on the wonderful subject of the incarnation from a Bible teacher who is now with the Lord. I recently referred to his book entitled, Pen Pictures of Early Church Leaders' but today we are looking at another of his works, "Notes, Quotes and Anecdotes". I had lost my copy of this book but I was given an old copy from a dear Christian friends from near Glenrothes in Fife. I was in his study and I noticed that he had two copies of this book and he quickly offered me one of them.
Archie Naismith was born in Carluke, Lanarkshire in 1895 and was educated at local primary school and then on to Hamilton Academy and Glasgow University. After graduating and completing a post-graduation course to qualify as a teacher, he became a teacher in the United Kingdom but then in 1922 he and his wife went to serve as missionaries in India. He was in charge of the Mission School for Indian pupils in Narsapur. His wife ran the hostel for the boys attending the school. He served the Lord there for 36 years and witnessed the growth of this school from 300 pupils to 1,500. The couple had five sons, all born in India and all were engaged in various forms of Bible service. One of his sons gave an address at my father's funeral.
Here are two of his short quotes on the subject of the incarnation.
569 Incarnation. Sadhu Sundar Singh used to illustrate the incarnation mystery in this way. A simple countryman was being shown a red glass bottle full of milk. They asked him what was in the bottle. 'Wine? Brandy? Whisky?' he replied, questioningly. He could not believe it was filled with milk till he saw the milk poured out from it. The redness of Man saw Him tired, hungry, suffering, weeping and thought He was only man. 'He was made in the likeness of men.' over all, blessed for ever. Yet He ever is God (John 1. 14; Rom. 9. 5; Phil. 2. 7, 8; 1 Tim. 3.15)
570. Incarnation. Handley Bird, for many years a missionary in India, used to illustrate the incarnation of our Lord by the following story. A father, walking-stick in hand, took his young son for a walk. The lad asked his father to let him have the stick for a little while and, when his father acceded to his request, he began to use the stick to play golf the stones and to swipe the shrubs growing by the roadside. By and by he poked it into a nest of ants which, hurt, disturbed and terrified, began to scurry off in all directions. The lad, tender-hearted, was sorry for what he had done and, looking up into his father's face, he said, 'Oh, father, I'm sorry these poor ants have been hurt and are scurrying off in terror. I love them and am sorry for them. Oh father, won't you tell them how sorry I am for them and how I love them.' The father, looking at his son with an amused smile, said, 'I am glad you have such a tender, compassionate heart toward these little creatures. I would gladly give them your message and tell them how you feel toward them, but I can't. In order to be able to do so, I should have to be born an ant and speak to them in their language, for they cannot understand our language.' (John 1. 14; Rom. 5. 8)
Archie Naismith also included one of his poems on this topic
Angelic hosts to men the mystery tell -
Th' Almighty deigns on earth with men to dwell
As Man, the virgin's son, Immanuel,
God here with us.
'His own received Him not;' Rejected He
Sin's bonds to break and Satan's slaves to free,
Endures the curse and hangs upon a tree:
Christ died for us.
Rising, He conquers Death, the monster hoary,
Bids Hs redeemed proclaim on earth His story,
Enters and fills our hearts with hope of glory:
Christ lives in us.
Formed in a virgin's womb, Eternal Son!
Thou becam'st dead, Thou true life-giving One
Live now Thy life through lives Thy death has won -
Christ formed in us.
Soon shall the Saviour to our longing eyes
Appear. The dead in Christ shall rise:
With them caught up, we'll meet Him in the skies -
Christ come for us.
(John 1:14; 1 Timothy 3:15; Galatians 2:20)
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