The Chief End of Life

"This one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)

We meet you today, young men, with our sincere and friendly congratulations, and in no merely formal or simulated manner, offer you the compliments of the season, and "Wish you a happy new year," more than this, a happy life, and still beyond this, a happy eternity. Time, with ceaseless flow rolls onward, and is ever bearing you on its resistless stream to the boundless ocean of eternity. Yes, to eternity! Yet not to eternal annihilation, but to everlasting conscious existence. As you stand upon the threshold of another year pause and ponder—the past is forever gone. Survey the scene before you, and learn your destiny, your dignity, your duty. An interminable prospect of perpetual existence, a vista of endless ages, yes, and of bliss too, opens before you if you adopt, in the meaning he attached to it, the motto of the Apostle which heads this address, and say, in reference to that object—'this one thing I do'. He intended by it, not his office as an ambassador of Christ, but his final salvation as an immortal being.

There is something striking in seeing a rational creature select one object from the many which surround him, holding it up to public notice, with the declaration, "for this I live," and from that moment pursuing it with the ardor of a lover, the fidelity of a servant, the courage of a hero, and the constancy of a martyr. Such a power of abstraction and concentration is a fine spectacle. But then the object selected should be worthy of it—and should repay the great effort. Man has but one life to spend, and he should be careful, anxiously, yes almost painfully careful, not to throw it away upon an undeserving object. Think of his coming to the close of his brief and troubled sojourn in this world with the melancholy confession, "Life with me has been a lost adventure."

We would help you to guard against this catastrophe, and assist you so to select your object, and lay your plan, that after a prosperous, happy, and useful life, even death itself, instead of being the wreck of your hopes, shall prove the consummation of your hopes, and be your eternal gain.

This address comes to you from a body of young men, entitled "The Young Men's Christian Association," who are banded together by the ties of a holy brotherhood to encourage and assist one another in pursuing and securing the highest and noblest end of human existence. We have made our choice; our judgment and conscience approve the selection; it stands continually before us in the wilderness of life, visible, grand, and distinct, like the Pyramids of Egypt to the traveler in the desert; and in the exercise of a benevolence which the object itself inspires, we are anxious to engage others of our age, gender, and circumstances in the same pursuit.

Our one thing, our chief end of life, is the same as the Apostle's, the pursuit of glory, honor, immortality; our hope is the possession of eternal life; and our way of seeking it "a patient continuance in well-doing." There it is before you in all its simplicity, and, we may add, in all its sublimity. Can language furnish such a more striking arrangement of words; or thought, such another association of things? "Glory," that after which millions have panted, and to which the strongest aspirations of the human soul have been directed. "Honor," or renown, which has inflamed the ambition of many of the loftiest spirits of our race, and made them willing to sacrifice ease, time, wealth, and too often, principle and conscience. "Immortality," after which "the whole creation travails in pain together until now." And all these merging in that one immense and infinite possession, "Eternal Life". Such is our one thing. Have we any reason to be ashamed of our choice? If this be little, where in all the universe is anything great? If this be degrading, where can anything be found to elevate?

There are many secondary and subordinate ends of life, but there can be only one that is supreme. We know that we are rational creatures, and that we ought to improve our minds by reading and study; that we are to be tradesmen, and are striving to excel in the knowledge of our business; that we are, in all probability, to be at the head of families, and are preparing to "provide things honest in the sight of all men;" that we are members of society, and are endeavoring to form in ourselves the character of the good citizen, and seeking to act well our part in the great drama of human life. We hope we neglect none of these things; but then we are entirely convinced and duly impressed with the thought that there is something besides and above all these things—that we are God's creatures, continually dependent upon Him, and ought to seek first of all to please our Creator—that we aresinners, and feel it our most pressing business to obtain salvation—and that we are immortal creatures, and must, therefore, surely consider it to be our most momentous interest to possess eternal life. This great object then we have adopted for ourselves, and now propose to you as the chief end of life.

Such a decision rests of course upon our conviction of the truth of God's revealed will in the Holy Scriptures. If these are human inventions, we are deluded and are the dupes of imposture; but if they are a Divine revelation, we are right, and are following the dictates of reason in yielding to those of religion. Aware of the abounding of infidelity and false philosophy, we have examined this subject for ourselves, and have arrived at the conclusion that a volume, accredited by proofs so numerous, various, and harmonious, must be what it claims to be—the word of God. In the miracles of our Lord and his apostles, so diversified and so multiplied, and wrought not in private but in public, not merely before the eyes of friends but of foes; in the fulfillment of ancient predictions too extraordinary in their nature, delivered too long beforehand, to be the contrivances of foresight, and too many to be resolved into curious coincidences; in the success of Christianity by the labors of fishermen, and against the secular powers of the world; in the contents of the Bible itself, so extraordinary, so sublime, and so pure; in the changes which Christianity has wrought; in its continuance to the present day, notwithstanding all the enemies with which it has had to contend; and in its present attitude as now preparing, under the auspices of the most learned, scientific, wealthy, and powerful nations of the earth, for universal conquest. In all these views of it we see proofs, each strong in itself and possessing unitedly a cumulative force, which satisfy us, whatever difficulties in other respects may be presented from the nature of the subjects, that this is surely the word of God. And if anything else were needed to complete the chain of evidence, we find this in the change it has wrought in us, and which that precious volume calls, "The witness in ourselves."

Guided then by this volume, we have been led to see that the salvation of the immortal soul, and a preparation for heaven, form the great end of man's life upon earth. In other words, that true religion is our great business in this world.

By religion we do not mean merely the adoption of a creed, the performance of a round of ceremonies, or the observance of certain ordinances; but in addition to all this, and as the animating principle of all, "Repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ;" a mind, heart, conscience, and practice regulated by the word of God; in short, the new birth, justification by faith, and a holy life.

This, we again say, is with us the chief end of our existence, and we now hold it forth for your adoption in reference to yourselves, and on examination it will be found to contain all that such an object should include, and we entreat you to give to the following statement your most serious and devout consideration.

That which is intended to be the chief end of life must be in itself a legitimate object of pursuit, and must be lawful both in the sight of God and man, such as the law of God and our own consciences shall approve. To choose any other would involve us in perpetual rebellion against God, and in conflict with ourselves. To set up a forbidden object of pursuit would make our own bosom the seat of perpetual internal warfare. Now that true religion is legitimate need not be proved. It is, in fact, the only thing which, as a supreme end, is lawful. Many others are lawful as subordinate ends, but as primary, chief, and ultimate, they are forbidden and made contraband. For what says our Lord, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness."

That which is the chief end of life should be appropriate to our own situation and circumstances, a something that appertains to us as individuals, and in which we have a personal interest. No one can be expected to set up as the object of existence that in which he has no interest, and in the results of which he has no share. It is very affecting to see a man wearing out life, and exhausting his energies, upon something which has no just claim upon his attention, and does not connect itself at all, or but very slightly and remotely, with his best and eternal interests. This cannot be said of religion in reference to you, for it is your business; it appertains to you; to none more than to you. You each have an immortal soul which must be saved or lost; and only by true religion can it be saved. To you the admonition is addressed, "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth." There is not in our world an individual to whom this subject more belongs than you, or on whom it has stronger claims.

The chief object of life must be something IMPORTANT. As a rational creature a man could not be justified in setting up a mere trifle as the end and purpose of existence. It marks a low and abject state of mind, or at any rate, great childishness of taste, to allow the thoughts feelings and aspirations, to be attracted, as to their center, to a mere triviality. God has given to man noble faculties, and to see them all devoted to some mere petty trifle, as their supreme aim—is a sad and a humiliating spectacle! We are anxious that both you and ourselves should be living for something worthy of our nature, something congruous to our powers of intellect, will, heart, memory, and conscience; something that shall make us conscious we are not living below ourselves. And where can we find anything that answers to this so well as piety, salvation, eternal life? This is not only really to live for immortality, but is the only way to do so in the fullest sense of the term. Literature, science, philosophy, and the arts, in this relation, must all yield to religion. This is to have fellowship with "the goodly fellowship of the prophets, the glorious company of the apostles, and the noble army of martyrs;" this is to enter into bonds with the holy of every age, country, and church; yes, it is to rise into "the fellowship of the Father, and of his Son Jesus Christ."

The chief object of life must be something which is in harmony with God's chief end in placing us in this world. God has placed us here; he has an end in doing so; and nothing ought to be our chief end but what is consonant with his. To neglect this is to wage perpetual war with the Divine will; and we know who has said, "Woe be to him who contends with his Maker." Would you engage in such a conflict? Would you run contrary to his will, and let your schemes be ever in opposition to his? What a fearful reflection for any one to make, "I am opposing God by my mode of life!" On the contrary, how ennobling and comforting the thought, "I am of one mind with my Maker!" No man can say this who is not making true religion his great business, and living for the salvation of his soul; for this is God's chief end in sending us into this world.

That which we select as the chief object of life must be something ATTAINABLE. In setting out upon the pursuit of any object, much more our supreme one, we should ascertain that it is within our reach, and one which we may hope, by taking proper steps, and using proper diligence, to obtain. It is a grievous sight to behold a person following some mere vision of imagination, bestowing immense labor and wealth, and absorbing nearly all his time, in the pursuit of an object, which everybody besides himself clearly sees is beyond his attainment. "Poor man," we exclaim, "he is beating the air, running after shadows, aiming at impossibilities." But this cannot be affirmed of true religion and salvation; all the duties and privileges of the one, all the glories and the felicities of the other, are within your reach. It is the transcendent excellence of true religion to be of all things the most valuable in its nature, and at the same time the most certain of attainment by all who seek it earnestly, perseveringly, and scripturally. The uncertainties and disappointments incident to other matters, are not experienced in regard to this. The language of Christ is, "Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Luther said he loved the Bible on account of those pronouns, "mine" and "yours." He might have added, and because of those verbs "will" and "shall." In other matters there is only possibility or probability; but here there is certainty. You may succeed in business, you will succeed in religion.

The one great object of life should preserve an undying and unchanging importance and value, through every change of existence and every vicissitude of circumstances. It would be unwise for anyone to embark all his energies, time, wealth, and interest, in the pursuit of an object which, however important it may be to him at one time, and in one situation, would be of no importance to him in very many others in which he might, and, in all probability, would be placed. Not a few have engaged in such folly; and after immense pains, at some future period have had to say, "After all I have done, I have outlived the value of my object; whatever service it may have been to me at one time, it is of no service to me now."

The one thing then must, as to its importance, be commensurate with our whole existence. How strictly does this apply to true piety. It will be the guide of our youth, the comfort of our manhood, and the staff of our old age. If we succeed in life, it will preserve us from the snares of prosperity; and if we fail, it will be our solace in adversity. Should we be exposed to the temptations of bad company, it will be our shield; or, if we should dwell much alone, it will be the comforter of our solitude. It will guide us in the choice of a companion for life, sweeten the cup of marital happiness, and survive the severance of every earthly tie. It will refresh us with its cooling shade amidst the heat and burden of life's busy day, be the evening star of our declining years, and our lamp in the dark valley of the shadow of death, and then rise with us as our eternal portion in the realms of immortality. Like its Divine author, "It is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

Whatever is the supreme end of life, it must be in harmony with, and not in opposition to the secondary and subordinate ends of life. Duties cannot clash, obligations cannot be in antagonism. It can be no man's duty to do two things which are at that time directly and necessarily opposed to each other. There are situations and circumstances in which, what in other circumstances would be a duty, ceases to be any longer such, because of the presence of an object of superior claims. Now that cannot be the great object of life, which prevents us from seeking even lesser ones in themselves legitimate and proper. It is somewhat repulsive to see a person absorbed in an object, by the nature of which, as well as by the time devoted to it, he is unfitted for, and disinclined to, the pursuit of anything else. The claims of his own personal interests, of his family, of his country, of his race, are all superseded and forgotten in the paramount demands of that one all engrossing pursuit. By that one pursuit he has unfitted himself for, and detached himself from, everything else. This cannot be right.

If true religion were indeed what too many of the votaries of superstition represent it—a gloomy seclusion in monasteries, convents, and hermitages, where every tie that binds us to this world is severed—it could not be of God, nor would it be the supreme end of life. But this is not Christianity. There is not a single legitimate end of life which is in the smallest degree interfered with by this high and sacred business. No man is made the worse citizen, master, servant, husband, father, son, or brother—by attending to this momentous subject. True religion assists, instead of hindering, every lawful interest that man has on earth. It sheds a benignant smile upon all his proper pursuits, and stretches out a helping hand to assist him in carrying them forward. "Godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come." The beautiful allegory of Solomon will be found true. "Wisdom [true religion] is more precious than rubies; and all the things you can desire are not to be compared with her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand, riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold upon her; and happy is everyone who retains her."

That which is selected as the chief end of life, should amply reward the labor of pursuit. It should not when realized, lead the possessor in a tone, and with feelings of bitter disappointment, to exclaim, "And is this all?" To spend life with no reward at all, or with no adequate reward, is exceedingly to be dreaded and deprecated. It is a loss and a sacrifice for which there can be no compensation. Now, whatever may be said of the inadequacy of any other object of human pursuit to remunerate the anxiety and labor of acquiring it, no such imputation belongs to this. It is the supreme good. True religion is its own reward. We ourselves, from whom this address goes forth, can testify this. If we were ever under the delusion that piety is inimical to happiness, we have long since found by experience that piety is true happiness. This has been alleged only by those who have never tried it by personal experience; we have tried both sides, the pleasures of the world, and the pleasures of piety; and have found that between them there is all the difference that lies between mere passing amusement and true happiness.

In the days of our mirth and folly we were diverted, now we are satisfied; then we said, in ignorant anxiety, "Who will show us any good?" knowing neither what happiness was, nor how it was to be obtained, but still supposing it must be something to be seen, handled, or tasted, a mere gratification of the senses and appetites. Now we are enabled, intelligently and contentedly to say, "Lord, lift up the light of your countenance upon us! You are the fountain of life, and in your light we shall see light." We once had joys, aptly described as "the crackling of thorns beneath a pot," a mere blaze, noisy, smoky, and transient. We now have bliss like "the shining light, which shines more and more unto the perfect day." And all this is only the pledge of that perfect and eternal felicity which we look for when we shall arrive in "the presence of God, where there is fullness of joy, and at his right hand where there are pleasures for evermore." Such are our views of the great object of existence; and such we now commend to your most serious attention.

Young men, we implore you to give this subject your serious consideration. You, like ourselves, are just setting out on life's eventful journey. O say, should there be no plan laid down, no purpose formed for such a course? Shall life be aimless, objectless, meaningless? What life? Shall we trust to incidents and casualties as they spring up—for our plan of action? Shall we float down the stream of existence like twigs on the river, and lie at the mercy of whatever can lay hold upon us? Shall mere chance form our character, select our objects, guide our conduct? Remember, we can have but one life. All, all, for time and for eternity too, is staked upon that one throw of the dice, and embarked in that one adventure. Character and destiny for this world and the next are involved in this one life. "The wheels of time are not made to roll backwards;" nor is the experiment for eternity ever to be repeated. A misspent life can never be spent over again! A fault committed in reference to the chief end of existence can never be rectified. It is a mistake on which death sets the seal of eternity, a mistake which will require everlasting ages to understand and deplore it.

If you hesitate about our choice of the end of existence, will you allow us respectfully and affectionately to inquire what you would propose instead of it? What have you found so immensely valuable, that it is more worthy of your pursuit than that which we have set before you? If it is indeed better than ours, more deserving the regard of a rational, moral, and immortal being than religion and eternal salvation, tell it to us, that we may rise to a higher dignity and bliss than we have yet reached.

Do you say that your object is "To succeed in business, and to obtain WEALTH?" We are not indifferent to this as a subordinate object, and we believe, as we have already said, that our religion will rather help than hinder us in the attainment of it. But as a supreme object of existence—it is too uncertain as to its attainment, too unsatisfying as regards its nature, and too precariousas to its tenure, and too short-lived as to its continuance, to be our supreme end. We have not seen much of life, but we have seen enough to learn that many fail in business, where one succeeds; and that the few who succeed seem by no means the happiest. And we have also been often sadly impressed and affected by the spectacle of the successful competitor for business and wealth, cut off by death—just when the time had arrived for enjoying his gains and luxuriating in ease upon the profits of his industry. The announcement made to the successful man, congratulating himself upon his acquisitions and his prospects, "You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?" has often rung in our ears.

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