Lonely Cottage

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  “Among the few features of agricultural England which retain an appearance but little modified by the lapse of centuries, may be reckoned the high, grassy and furzy downs, coombs, or ewe-leases, as they are indifferently called, that fill a large area of certain counties in the south and south-west. If any mark of human occupation is met with hereon, it usually takes the form of the solitary cottage of some shepherd. Fifty years ago such a lonely cottage stood on such a down, and may possibly be standing there now. In spite of its loneliness, however, the spot, by actual measurement, was not more than five miles from a county-town. Yet that affected it little. Five miles of irregular upland, during the long inimical seasons, with their sleets, snows, rains, and mists, afford withdrawing space enough to isolate a Timon or a Nebuchadnezzar; much less, in fair weather, to please that less repellent tribe, the poets, philosophers, artists, and others who “conceive and meditate of ple...

Ash Wednesday

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Ash Wednesday is the day many show an outward sign of repentance before God by wearing an imposing application of ash on the head or in the hair. This is derived from the biblical practice of mourning over sin “in dust and ashes.” What does it mean to mourn over sin?

Consider the question in light of A.W. Pink’s thoughts on the Apostle Paul’s inspired teaching, "The sorrow of the world works death." (2 Corinthians 7:10):

“Just as surely as happiness is the attendant of holiness--so misery is the certain result of sin. The sorrow of the world is not occasioned by mourning over sin as sin --but over the retribution which sin brings.

The sorrow of the world does not arise from just views of sin, nor does it proceed from any concern that God has been offended. It does not lead the soul to God in true penitence, nor to turn to Him for consolation.

When the worldling's dream of earthly happiness has been dispelled by misfortune--he feeds only on the sour bread of self-pity and unblessed woe. The sorrow of the world debilitates the body, disturbs peace, impairs the mind, and breaks the spirit. There is no contrite seeking unto God on the part of the suffering one--but only a fretting and murmuring against Him. ‘Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores--but they refused to repent of what they had done.’ Revelation 16:10-11.”

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