Drifting

The full text of a little booklet by Clayton F. Yake, originally published in 1943 by the Mennonite Publishing House. However, I put the foreword and other introductory material at the end. 🙂

A number of years ago

a friend who was an experienced fisherman and I happened to be together among a group of friends and acquaintances at a quiet seashore resort. The weather was unusually fine, and things looked good for fishing in the several inlets of the sea; so that noon we secured a neighbor’s boat and rowed away from our cottage in fond anticipation of fresh fish for breakfast.

There were no waves to make rowing hazardous; so we could give our attention entirely to fishing. However, as luck would have it, the fish apparently were not hungry, for there was not a bite as we fished from place to place. Naturally our honor was at stake, and we did our best to tempt the fish, but there was not one good strike, much less a catch.

The afternoon was waning, and we became somewhat weary; so we began to take our bearings for the shortest and quickest route home. To our surprise we discovered that we had gone much farther than we had realized. What had happened? We turned our boat homeward and found that, in spite of our steady rowing, we were making very slow headway. What was taking place? Invisibly the tide and current were gradually sweeping us seaward, — had been doing so for some time, and we had been unconscious of it.

But now, all strength to the oars! And even so it was a very slow, laborious process. We pulled our boat toward the east shore and out of midstream, and then after a half hour’s hard work we were out of the sweep of the current which had been pushing us seaward, and . . . Another half hour brought us back to our cottage, — two of the happiest boys you ever knew in spite of the fact that there was not a single catch. But incidentally we had fish for breakfast, — fish from the local market!

A week later, after we had left our seashore cottage and were happily on our way home we took courage to tell our loved ones of the experience on our fishing venture. How clearly there came to our imagination then the possibility of not having been able to find our way back to our cottage through the several inlets, in the darkness which was fast falling upon us. There, too, stared us in the face the cold hard fact of a strong and almost irresistible current which the might of our rowing could not possibly have overcome had we drifted oceanward much farther before discovering our plight. But over and above all there loomed that possibility of being forced oceanward, and of spending a night, a lonely night, upon the breakers of a rolling sea, with the grave danger of the boat’s capsizing and our being drowned. As memory and imagination brought all this to us, once again, as we had so frequently done before, we thanked the Father for having spared us to our dear ones, and for having saved us from drifting into a watery grave!

One hears much

about the present-day drift in the church; but sometimes I am inclined to think that it is a subject like the weather. And Mark Twain humorously commented, “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” The reason in the instance of the weather is obvious; nobody can change it.

On the subject of worldly drift in the church, a minister commented: “If all the conference resolutions and church regulations would be carried into effect we would have more than enough legislation to accomplish the ends desired; but in spite of these we are drifting, and the worldly drift has gone so far that it has become alarming, — and there is nothing done about it!” He meant simply to say that we talk about it, we legislate about it, but we do nothing about it! He of course was expressing himself conditionally, and did not speak disparagingly about conference work and actions. But doubtless there is some truth in what he said, and it may be well for us to take heed.

It is not in the province of young people usually to legislate and regulate, although from among the young people come leaders, and among them are leaders who carry official responsibility in the church. As these have opportunity, the responsibility to help meet the problems before us as a church should not be shirked. We have confidence in the young people, and feel that by far the greater number of them want to do all they can to uphold the church, and they want to be the best they can be by exemplary living and thus help to promote the welfare of the church. Too often the young people are looked upon as the drifters, when perhaps a careful analysis might reveal a different situation. The matter of worldly drift confronts us in every aspect of Christian living, and not only in several or one. To make a hobby of one phase of Christian separation from the world and to ignore other phases does not accomplish the goals that Christ has for the church.

The drift as it confronts the church is a drift that certainly may not rightly be placed upon the shoulders of the young people. If we have a worldly drift within the church, and there are evidences to that effect, then we must sympathetically see it as a problem which confronts all of us, young, middle-aged, and elders. Economic, social and industrial conditions in the world today all have their bearings upon religious conditions. For example, once again we see various denominations and Christian people of our own country, who at the close of World War I resolved to have no more interest in war, becoming active in the promotion of militarism. Why the change? The times and circumstances have changed! But we know that the Word does not change!

Just so, modern methods of business, the increased speed of travel, and the ease of communication have brought about changes in our homes and our ways of living, and you and I have had little or nothing to say about it. The beautiful streamlined automobiles, high-powered and efficient, apparently are objects of covetousness by many, regardless of age. And it is remarkable how people can logically (?) reason themselves into the purchase of a middle-priced or high-priced car when a low-priced car might serve just as well! It is the same in a dozen-and-one other things that influence our living. The most modern farm machinery, costly homes, the best of home furnishings and equipment, the finest kind of wearing apparel, — for personal satisfaction! to keep up with the Joneses!! to be ahead of my neighbor!!! All these things have their influence and bearing, relatively, upon the problem of worldly drift in the church. Add to this the influence of the public school, especially the high school, the radio, the movie, et cetera, and you have before you a total situation that has a tremendous effect upon the life of the church and her testimony to the world. And while we may not be able, in many instances, to change the influences that cause the drift, we may learn some vivid lessons about drifting that should help us to row upstream together and influence others to do likewise.

To be continued, the Lord willing. Today is Sunday, August 23, 2020. Check back in a week. 🙂

Drifting!

What are some of the significant things about it? We shall enumerate a number without claiming any particular logical order of arrangement. To us they are rather impressive, and in most instances the application is very pertinent to drifting in life and in the church.

1. Drifting, as under consideration, is usually not begun or even continued deliberately. It is not deliberately indulged in, as canoeists drifting downstream in the moonlight for a season of pleasurable fellowship and recreation, although it may be and it seems that some people do deliberately plan to drift. Usually one begins to drift by failing to recognize the danger of the current, or being aware of its presence and power while engaged in the affairs of life. In one instance it may be folly; in another it may be oversight. How often we hear it said, “I did not mean to!”
2. Drifting often is, for a time at least, not noticed by the one who is drifting. Here, indeed, is a subtle characteristic. One being drawn little by little into a current of worldliness may be entirely unaware of it; and as the drifting continues, pleasure may blind the eyes to the seriousness of the sweeping current.
3. Drifting is noticeable much more readily by those who are not drifting. One right in the midst of a danger often does not recognize it as do those who stand by.
4. Warning must be given by those who notice the drifting, or else the unfortunate one may be lost. It becomes a serious responsibility of those who see to warn of the danger ahead, and to render every possible assistance to effect a rescue. There is a point in the river beyond which, if the drifter has gone, he is certain never to return.
5. Prayer sometimes is the only effective agent left in the rescuing task. It may be absolutely impossible on account of circumstances at the time to render the necessary assistance; the only agent left is prayer. We dare not fail in this either! God can do what men cannot.
6. The one saved from drifting to a tragic end will be truly grateful and happy. There is pleasure for the saved and the friends of the saved also. Heaven, too, rejoices over the rescue.
7. Drifting may become so pleasurable that the one drifting deliberately rejects all warning and efforts at rescue. That is a sad, sad fact which one wishes might be otherwise.
8. A person who is drifting has a personal responsibility in his own rescue. He cannot escape that!
9. A person never drifts upstream; always downstream! It is really the lazy person who drifts.
10. A person drifts because it is easy, not difficult. It is hard work to row upstream.
11. A person drifts because of influence, associates, environment, — because he is not busy doing that which is best.
12. A person drifts via the things he likes; not via the things he dislikes and hates. That is obvious, yet we seldom stop to think of it in just that way. And this does not preclude that we grow as well via the things we like. We need to love the good and hate the evil.
13. You can’t stop the current from going downstream. That is an impossible task. You may divert the stream or dam it, but it will continue downstream nevertheless. God has ordained it so. And you can’t stop the world and its drifting influence either!
14. You can’t blame the stream for carrying you with the current when you have placed yourself in its power. That would be a silly thing to do! And you can’t blame the world for carrying you along in its worldliness if you have placed yourself in the current of its activities!
15. Any worldly drift in the church cannot be blamed upon the church as God’s church. God’s church moves onward and upward, — has done so during the centuries, is doing so now, and always will do so! The blame must fall on some of its members. Is it I? Is it you?

To be continued, the Lord willing. Today is Monday, August 31, 2020. Check back in a week. 🙂

We had spent

a pleasant fall afternoon with a group of friends in the mountains by the riverside. Around the campfire we had roasted our corn and wieners, and had enjoyed a royal feast. The children had played games and waded in the shallow pools; the young people had hiked and enjoyed social fellowship; and the parents had chatted and narrated interesting experiences and incidents of days gone by. It was time to go home, but before doing so we all wanted to take one look at the lovely falls less than a half mile downstream. In a very short time all things were packed and we were happily driving toward the musical cataract. It was a beautiful sight, — the rippling waters rapidly approaching the precipice, plunging down some thirty feet upon large boulders where the stream was being churned into spray and foam, and then sped through rapids onward toward the sea!

Buoyantly one of the young people tripped lightly down the river bank, skipping over the rocks, and stepped out to the very ledge of the falls, — her shoes touched by the very waters which were thunderously plunging over the precipice. A shudder ran through my entire being, and a chill crept up my spine as I beheld the incident and sensed the grave danger, — happening all much quicker than I can narrate. In a moment the vivacious youth turned from the ledge at the margin of the river, stepping upstream into the shallow waters that were hastening over slightly sloping rocks, and fell — fell headlong, and slowly but surely drifted toward the precipice no ten feet away. In that moment I completely yielded her to God (whose she was), — as completely as Abraham had yielded his son — and envisioned the mourning sequences of a heart-rending tragedy!

But in the instance of my complete resignation she slowly moved forward upon hands and knees, and in the next several seconds had come to a place of security, — actually smiling, for she did not fully realize the danger in which she had been, and from which she was providentially saved. In the moment of dire emergency she had sunk her fingers into a slight crack in the rocks and had pulled herself out of a watery grave. And the youth was as miraculously restored to me as if she had been raised from the dead by the voice of the Master. All praise and glory to Him!

DRIFTING!

Yes, indeed, it is a serious matter. It may mean death for some who are in the current of worldliness because nothing apparently can be done to save them. Or it may mean a terrible awakening experience for others, who, after being rescued, will be overwhelmed by the goodness of God, and yield all to Him. Or it may for others mean a deepening of conviction on principles of Christian living, and a deeper devotion to the task which Christ has committed to the church.

It is a serious matter, too, for those of us who carry responsibility. We dare not shirk duty; we dare not be passive in the task confronting us; we dare not fail in the emergency. This is an hour of dark worldly darkness! We want none to be lost in that darkness; we want none to become driftwood. If the light of he church becomes dimmed by worldliness the stream of life will be shaded by darkness and many will lose their way, drift seaward, and be doomed

It is a serious matter also for youth! You are responsible to yourself. But, praise God, you have the help of colaborers and counselors. You have a grand opportunity in the privileges offered you to row the stream of life against the current. The church today offers you unbounded opportunities. Grasp them and row upstream. You were not created for drifting; you were created for rowing! The greatest joys of life await your deliberate and masterful claiming! To the oars now!

Dedicated to

our young people whom the current of the times would subtly sweep seaward.

Foreword

The author was not born and raised a Mennonite. He joined the Mennonite Church of his own choosing at the age of sixteen. He did so because he appreciated the doctrine of the church; but more particularly because he saw the beauty of that doctrine exemplified in the consistent Christian living of a number of friends who understood young people and had a real interest in them.

Nor did he join the Mennonite Church because he was in harmony with all the customary and conventional practices of the church membership of the community in which he was reared; but he joined the church rather in spite of this, feeling and believing that the doctrine of the Word was the doctrine of the church, and if consistently lived would beautify the lives of all those who believed it.

Then, and since then, as well as now, there has been drifting in the church! And it is interesting to observe that the cause of the problem has been attributed quite generally to the young people, just as it seems to be attributed to them now. The author’s own observation, however, has been that the problem is generally not the young people; they are merely the place where drifting manifests itself more conspicuously in most instances. The cause is more remote. And much that he hesitates to say so, it is but fair to the young people to say it: the cause majorly lies with their elders, the generation before. Let the home do its part right, the church hers, and the church schools theirs, and things will be different!

As a youth, the writer had to do much hard upstream rowing against currents that were treacherously and swiftly sweeping seaward. And he had few elders to assist him! In fact in most instances he had to pull the oars alone. And in the eyes of many of the older church members of his community he was hardly considered a model. But as he looks back today, he praises God a thousand times over for the stamina He gave him to row against the current, when it would have been so much easier and more pleasant to rest on the oars and drift.

This little message is written to bring a word of encouragement to you young people, — to row, and not to drift! If your elders are at fault today; if the generation before you has not done for you what it should have; brace yourself, nevertheless, by the empowering of the Holy Spirit, to lay to the oars, and row; not drift!
C.F.Y.