UNION AND ECONOMY IN GOSPEL WORK.
By G.
THE strong tendency of the world is toward confederation. Its dependence is in numbers—unions, leagues, societies, parties, etc. When the world says, “In union there is strength,” it means in the union of great numbers. In the Gospel work, however, the unit is the prime concern. God calls individuals to His work. He never appeals to society as such. Tho millions should hear the call at one time, the response must come from each one, if each one would receive the benefit. In the Gospel work it is true that “in union there is strength;” but the primary union is not of weak human beings, it must be a union of the unit—the individual—with God. “God is our refuge and strength;” it is union with Him that gives strength to Christianity. A union of professed Christians without individual union with Christ is no stronger than the union of any other band of people possessing equal intelligence. “Without Me ye can do nothing,” says the Master, and the saying has been demonstrated all through the ages. The ruins of human schemes, devised by “unions” and “boards” and “societies” and “conventions” without reference to the counsel of God and His strength, are strewn all along the way. The apostle Peter gives us the secret of all Gospel work in these words: “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 1 Peter 3:15. Here the Spirit contemplates the workers as individuals, and the lost ones to be rescued as individuals, and the union essential to the work a union of heart with the Lord God. Such a union by sanctification of the Lord in the heart, He being “the light of the world,” makes the individual a light. This light, shining before men in the form of good works (Matt. 5:16), indicates that the individual has a future hope of reward. He is working for no reward as far as the world can see, but he is so happy and cheerful and tender in his ministrations, that it is evident he has a purpose in view beyond the sordid aims of the world. The Light that so shines before the world in the good works of the true disciple must be the means of some individuals’ coming to inquire about it. And such a laborer together with God will be ready always to give a reason of his hope. Moreover he will not be boastful of his attainments or presumptuous with his reason of hope; but in a spirit of meekness he will freely give that which has been so freely imparted to him. When Solomon came to the throne he sanctified the Lord God in his heart, and asked only wisdom commensurate with his great responsibility. And the result was that “all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.” So instead of his sending missionaries to all the earth to carry the knowledge of God, the Spirit sent people from all the earth to him. Furthermore, without his having to raise money and men to carry the truth abroad, the people who came from abroad to hear the truth brought means to Solomon. “They brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.” They brought what in their time were the most valuable articles. This is simply an illustration of what the Spirit of the Lord can do in the way of giving the Gospel message when his professed disciples adopt the first principles regarding plans for doing His work, the first principles of union in the work. So much of the worry about raising means for missions, about securing efficient missionaries, and so much expenditure of time in going and coming, might be saved if we would all heed the Spirit’s injunction, “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” So much of the traveling and so much of expense would be borne by those whom the Spirit would stir up to seek the truth, if only there were those sanctified ones here and there holding up the light to which the lost one might be directed.