Review and Herald, Vol. 48, No. 10. (8/31/1876)

Review and Herald

Aug 31, 1876

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 31, 1876

An Appeal to the Unconverted and Backsliders.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

BY ELD. D. M. CANRIGHT.

(Concluded.)

TEXT: “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor. 6: 2.

If ever you are saved you will have to make an earnest effort. But when we appeal to you, you probably feel as though you cannot start now; you cannot break away and become a Christian. My friend, you will either have to do it sometime or be lost. Have you deliberately made up your mind to be lost? Do you really mean to lose Heaven? Of course you do not. You think that some time you will do differently. But what time have you set? What circumstances will make it easier for you than now? What means do you expect will be brought to bear upon you that have not been used already? You are waiting to have the way made easier? But do you not know that this is vain? You may wait a year, and you will meet the same obstacles as now. If God should spare your life ten years, you would find it just as hard then as now. The difficulties, instead of growing less, will multiply and grow larger. If ever you become a Christian, you will find that it is through a mighty effort, a terrible struggle. Victory is not won by doing nothing.

That which is worth anything always costs something. The more it is worth the more it costs. Is this not so in everything in this world? Then, as the favor of God and eternal life are worth more than all other treasure, my dear sir, if you ever gain them you will find that it will cost you the greatest effort you ever made. But that effort must be made or you are a lost man. It will not help you to put it off. You may as well settle that question with your own soul now as ever. Do you mean to make that effort, or will you give up like a coward and lose immortality without a struggle?

The longer you wait the harder it will become, and the greater effort you will have to make. The young man thinks the cross will be lighter and the task easier when he is quietly settled down in life. But when that time comes he finds his difficulties only increased. He has a wife and children, business relations, and other things have risen up between him and God, and have crowded him farther from Heaven. He now imagines it will be easier when his children have grown up around him, and the hurry of business is over. But when that opportunity arrives, he finds around him ungodly, irreligious children, who stand square across his path. He finds his habits fixed and settled, and hard to change. He makes one more promise that when he becomes an old man, with the battle of life in the past, and his hairs whitening for the grave, then he will give his heart to God. But oh! how selfish and wicked is the thought. He will serve himself and the devil all the active part of life, and then turn himself over to the Lord when he can do nothing else. If God were not infinitely merciful he never would accept such an offering.

But when that last promised time has come, he finds that he has chosen the hardest season of all. He now finds it almost an utter impossibility to break away, to break up all his old habits, change the whole current of his life, and learn to love that which he has neglected and hated all his life. Very few men do it. My observation is that the great mass who ever become Christians, become such under the age of twenty-five. I have seen scores of old men between the ages of sixty and seventy, who would sit and weep under the preaching of the gospel, who believed the word of God, and who had meant to be Christians sometime; but now when the last chance had come, they could not, or would not, at any rate they did not, make the start which all through life they had vainly supposed would be so easy then.

God calls upon you to choose. Thus he says, “I call Heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” Deut. 30: 19. What a solemn appeal this is! Heaven and earth are called as witnesses that life and death are set before us, and that we have a chance to choose. Again we read, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” Josh. 24: 15. We are not mere machines. God has given us freedom of choice, and then has set right and wrong, life and death, before us. God will never compel you to take the right. You must do it of your own free choice. No one will be forced into Heaven. No one will be compelled to go to hell. Every one is left deliberately to choose which he will have. Having settled this by his own choice, God is just in giving it to him.

To the youth the Lord bears this solemn testimony: “Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” Eccl. 11: 9. That is, you can go on while you are young, enjoy yourself, take your cheer, walk after the desire of your heart, indulge in sin, sow your wild oats, gratify your passions, strengthen your evil habits, and put God, Heaven, and eternity out of your minds; you can do all this; God will let you; you can do it for years, he will not stop you. But, says the great God, remember, bear it in mind, keep it before you all the time, that for all these things God will certainly bring you into judgment. Reader, you are making your choice, you are settling your case, every day is deciding it. Every year you live without God you are saying that you do not love his ways, that you choose to go to perdition rather than to enter his service, and this choice is being recorded in Heaven and will all be laid open at the Judgment. Are you willing that your case should continue to stand thus? You may now feel indifferent about it; but the day will come, when it is too late, that you will not feel so.

What you need, my brother, is to break that stubborn will of yours. Jesus says, “Ye will not come to me that ye might have life.” It is your will that stands in the way. You will to serve the devil; you do not will to serve God. Again Jesus says, “And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. . . . And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Rev. 22: 17. Here is the same thought again, “Whosoever will let him come.” The will must decide. That is the very thing that stands in your way. We ask you to commence to pray, but you will not. We ask you to do other duties, but you will not. This is the great lesson for the sinner to learn—his will must be given up. God’s will must be complied with. Jesus says of himself, “I came down from Heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me.” This must be the spirit that rules in your heart before you can take the first step toward Heaven. Do not let your will rule you, but rule your will. Commence now; begin to-day; say I will. Do not wait for some special revival; do not wait for somebody to carry you. Go out alone, get down upon your knees; cry to God for help; say I will, and repeat it till you bring yourself to it. This is all that stands in your way, and you can do this if you will.

Only one step at a time. Take one step, that will open the way for you to take another; it will give you strength to take another. You do not know what you can do till you try. You do not know how much God will help you. Begin somewhere; take hold of the first thing that comes up. Go out and pray alone; this is a good way to begin. Arise in meeting and confess the Lord, and ask God’s people to pray for you. Open your mind to some Christian friend. Commence to read the Bible regularly. Do something; commence somewhere to-day, now; do not wait. You will find it hard work to begin; and why? Because it will be entirely new business to you,—something you have never practiced. You must learn to be a Christian, just as you would learn any thing else. It can only be done by practice. If a man would be a carpenter he must begin with the simplest work, and have long months of practice before he can do a good job. What work would a man make blacksmithing who had never tried it at all? The lawyer has to learn to speak and make his pleas; the minister has to learn to preach,—and, my brother, you will have to learn to pray, to have faith in God, to speak in public, to praise God, &c.

Indeed, everything in the Christian life has to be learned the same as in anything else. It does not come naturally; the natural heart is directly opposed to it. Religion is not something to be put on like a garment, ready made. It must be learned; it must grow in a man. However wise you are, and however strong you are in other directions, you will be as weak as a newborn babe in your first efforts to be a Christian. You must not expect to commence with the full strength of an old, matured Christian. But the longer you put it off, the weaker and more helpless you are becoming. Again I repeat, Commence somewhere; take the first step, and do it now.

“I do not want to start till I am sure I shall hold out.” Yes, how many thus say, and what a foolish saying it is! What a cunning scare of the devil! My friend, you ought to be ashamed to ever say such a thing as that. If you would use a little common sense, as you do in other things, you would never say it again. Stop and consider a moment. Is anybody ever sure that he will hold out when he starts? No; even the apostle Paul, after he had preached till he was an old man, said that even then though he had preached to others he feared that he should be a castaway. No man is certain that he will hold out till he is safe in the kingdom. But that will be just one day too late. Friend, if you wait till you are sure you will hold out, you will never start at all. You must make an effort; you must struggle all the way. It will be a continual fight, a constant battle. You do not reason this way about anything else. What would we think of a farmer who would refuse to sow his wheat till he was sure he would get a crop? What would we think of the traveler who would refuse to start for home till he was sure he would get there? What would we think of the student who would refuse to commence any study till he was sure he would master it? Such reasoning is folly. There is not a particle of excuse for it. You ought to be ashamed to use it. But if such an argument is good for anything, it will be just as good a year from now, or five or ten years hence; it will be just as good till you draw your last breath, till your probation is closed, and then there is no chance at all. Foolish man! do not indulge in such vain excuses any longer. Up, and at work; make a trial. Perhaps you say, I have tried and have backslidden one or more times, and I am afraid to try again. No doubt—but, dear friend, suppose you do not try again; then what? Then you will surely perish. You will do no worse than thousands if you try and fail again. If you do not try you know that you are a lost man; perdition is your portion. If you do try you may succeed this time. The old motto which we used to read in school should be the motto of every soul, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again;” and if you fail a thousand times, try again every time.

This is the way men have to do who succeed in worldly affairs. Ask that great blacksmith if he never made blunders and mistakes in learning his trade. Ask the carpenter, ask the lawyer, ask even the farmer. Does he always make a success of everything? Do his crops never fail? Can he always carry out his plans? No, not half the time. Yet he keeps trying, trying, trying. Every time he fails he tries a little harder. Can we not use as much wisdom and perseverance in securing Heaven as in gaining the perishable things of earth? We must do it or be damned.

How much the Lord has said on this very point to encourage us to keep trying. You remember that when Peter asked if he should forgive his brother seven times, Jesus said, “I say not unto you, Until seven times; but, until seventy times seven”—if he turn and repent as many times. Will not the Lord himself do what he advises others to do? For what was the parable of the prodigal son given? Was it not to encourage backsliders to try again? What does the parable of the lost sheep mean? You say you cannot be a Christian. This is utterly false, and you know it. You can be if you only will; but you must make an effort, and keep struggling, and never give up.

You are standing in the way of others. It is very often the case that one person stands across the track of others and holds them back. If he would take hold and do his duty, it would open the way for others to start. I have frequently seen one stubborn person stand in the way of half a dozen. If he would enter upon the service of God, others would. They are looking to him to start; they are waiting for him to move. My brother, this may be just your case, so that while you are doing nothing you are really throwing your whole influence against the cause of Christ and the salvation of your friends. Though God should spare your life till some time in the future, and you should repent and become a Christian yourself, yet, by that time those whom you might have influenced for good then, may be beyond your reach, and be finally lost in consequence of the wrong course you took. Every one has his influence, you have yours. Christ truly said, “He that gathereth not with me scattereth

abroad.” If, then, you are not actually gathering with Christ, your influence is given to oppose, retard, and hinder the work of Christ. No amount of repentance will undo this in the future. My friend, your life is too short to be thrown away in such a useless and wicked manner.

Perhaps you are a parent and have children growing up around you. What are you doing to teach them the way of the Lord? Nothing at all. You do not obey God yourself, and if father or mother can live without religion, why should not they? They grow up without prayer, without devotion, without the fear of God. This is the way you are bringing them up. In future years, if you should repent and turn to God, they will be beyond your reach. How, then, can you account to the Master for their souls? How will you feel when you see them lost through your influence? These are solemn thoughts. They ought to have weight with you. You know they are true, and you will not deny it. Why do you not awake, then, and bestir yourself? Commence now. “Behold, now is the day of salvation.”

God will hold you responsible for the great privileges you have. Let us look at them a moment. You have been brought up in a Christian land. You have had a chance from your earliest infancy to become acquainted with the Bible, with the true God, and the dear Saviour. This is a privilege which millions of our race have never had. They have had their birth in heathen lands, and have been taught to worship false gods. They have never heard anything about the true God. Your case, then, in the Judgment will be much worse than theirs; for you reject light which they never had. Again, you have had your lot in this land of liberty. You have the utmost freedom to obey God in every requirement if you choose. No one would whip you for it, stone you, imprison you, or take your life. You can have no excuse in this direction; but millions of others, in other ages, have had to suffer all these things and much more in order to obey God. They have been persecuted, whipped, imprisoned; they have lost all their earthly goods, and finally have had to lay down their lives for obeying him.

You have none of these things in your way, and yet you do not care enough about his will to obey him under these favorable circumstances. How can you answer for this in the Judgment? You must have a very strong love for sin, and very little taste for the service of God, or you would do differently. From your earliest infancy you have been where you could hear the word of God preached almost any day. You have been surrounded with churches, with ministers, and with pious people, all of them ready to instruct you, to help you, and to lead you. Yet you have profited by none of these things, you have despised them all, and gone on, growing harder and harder in sin. Probably you have had praying parents, and thousands of prayers have been offered for you; they have admonished you, intreated you, plead with you, but you have hardened your heart against it all. Every possible effort has been made to lead you to Christ, and yet, you are unsaved. The great God is willing to save you, but you are not willing to be saved. Jesus is anxious to pardon you, but you do not care to be pardoned. Angels watch to help you, but you feel no need of their help. God’s people plead with you, but you feel no need of pleading for yourself.

My dear friend, I must close my appeal to you, but remember this: The day is coming when all these things will rise up and meet you in the Judgment. The greater the light and privileges which you have, the greater will be your condemnation at last. I hope that you will be persuaded by these words to turn to God and seek the salvation of your soul. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Rome, N. Y., Aug. 5.

“THINGS PRESENT.”

1 Cor. 3:22.

“Things present are yours,”—though the day may be dark, Though billows be tossing around the frail bark, Like a glimpse of bright blue in the lowering sky Is the thought that all comes from our Father on high.

“Things present are yours”—in the present rejoice, And know that the future is also His choice. To-day hath of good or of evil its share; For the morrow our Heavenly Father will care.

“Things present are yours”—when the prospect is drear, Forecast not the future, your spirits to cheer; But, leaving vain visions, seek present relief From the Saviour beside you in gladness and grief.

“Things present are yours”—whatever their form— The joy and the sorrow, the calm and the storm— Affliction, bereavement, perplexity, wrong; Yea, “all things are yours,” for to Christ ye belong. —Sel.

THE COMMANDMENTS.—PART 1.

By A. C. Spicer

In Exodus.

The first evidence in Exodus of a knowledge of the precepts of the decalogue, we discover in chap. 1 : 15–21, where we learn that the Hebrew midwives disobeyed the commandment of the king of Egypt to kill all the Hebrew male children thereafter born, “for they feared God.” Evidently, if respect for human life, and hence the existence of laws for its protection, were but the dictates of the desire for self-preservation, these Hebrew women might have obeyed the king, as law-maker. But, “they feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them.”

This furnishes very strong presumptive evidence that the king’s command was known by them to be contrary to an existing law of God. They disobeyed, in this case, risking the displeasure of the king; while in many things not involving a violation of a known law of God, the Hebrews submitted to terrible hardships and wrongs from the king.

For this faithfulness to God in disobedience to the king, God especially and signally rewarded those women; while for patient endurance of wrongs and obedience to the king, in matters not involving a violation of God’s law, God greatly and signally blessed and prospered the Hebrew people. These rewards argue obedience to law, and hence argue a knowledge of the law; for, without a knowledge of the law, obedience thereto could only be an accident, and hence without virtue, and therefore not subject to reward. This circumstance, together with the record in chap. 2 : 12–14, evinces that Moses, and the Hebrews generally, were conscious of the prohibition of the sixth precept of the decalogue.

In Ex. 7 : 25 ; 12 : 15, 16, 19 ; 13 : 6, 7, the septenary period is again brought to our notice. Recurring to the consideration of the number seven, so characteristic in the Bible, we notice it obtained prevalence at an early day, and probably originated from the fact that “in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore God blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it” (Gen. 2 : 2, 3 ; Ex. 20 : 11), and thus established the septenary cycle, which gave the prominence to the number seven. In Gen. 4 : 15 and 24, we read, And the Lord said, “Whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And Lamech said, “If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.” And the Lord said unto Noah, “Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens.” Gen. 7 : 2. “Of fowls also of the air by sevens.” Verse 3. “For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth.” Verse 4. “And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.” Verse 10.

Jacob proposed to Laban, “I will serve thee seven years for Rachel.” Gen. 29 : 18. “And Jacob served seven years for Rachel.” Verse 20. “Fulfill her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. . . . And served with him yet seven other years.” Verses 27, 28, 30. Jacob “bowed himself to the ground seven times” before Esau. Gen. 33 : 3. In Gen. 41 : 18–54 there is an account of Pharaoh’s dream of the seven fat kine and the seven lean kine, of the seven full ears of corn and the seven withered ears, and Joseph’s interpretation of the dream, as meaning seven years of plenty and seven years of famine.

These references and quotations clearly show that the representative seven, corresponding to the number of days in the week, which so significantly prevails throughout all the subsequent part of Bible history, and the division of days into weeks, obtained and were recognized early in the history of the race, and doubtless from the beginning.

Now here in Ex. 7 : 25, the same characteristic again appears; and in Ex. 12 : 15, 16, 19, we read, “Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses; for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you. . . . Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses.” This language is addressed by God to Israel in appointing to them and establishing and regulating the commemorative passover festival.

In the above passages there is clearly and positively presented to us the division of time into weeks, or periods of seven days each. And here we ask, Upon what considerations—upon what fact or facts—is this division of time based? What was its origin? When, where, how, and by whom did it originate? Certainly, no considerations naturally arising from physical need or natural laws could possibly have suggested or determined the reckoning of time by periods of seven days. Months and years are natural divisions of time determined and established by natural phenomena. Not so the weeks. The prevalent and oft-repeated fallacious declaration that “man and beast naturally require one day in seven for physical rest,” does not answer the above questions. For, consider the questions in relation simply to physical or mental labor and the necessity of rest for recuperation, and there appears to the mind no valid reason why sufficient physical rest might not have been, and might not now be, just as appropriately taken daily as weekly. Indeed, it stands to reason and experience both that sufficient simple rest from labor, so as to avoid exhaustion, might better, and should, be taken daily. If it be claimed, as is often done, that commutative concert of labor and rest, and universal uniformity in respect thereto, for the sake of securing cumulative power and more effective application of forces, were essential; yet nothing in nature (aside from God’s example and appointment of the Sabbath) or in human reason could have suggested or determined that period to have been septenary instead of one of five days, or of six days, or of eight, or of nine, or ten days, or of any other number of days. In short, there is nothing in man’s reason, or in his inward consciousness of the right or of fitness, that could even suggest that septenary period, independent of the fact that God wrought six days in creating, and rested on the seventh day, and blessed and sanctified that seventh day a Sabbath for man and gave it to him as such, enjoining its observance upon him, thus establishing that period of time.

The septenary cycle, then, has its basis in the above stated facts, its reasons in higher considerations than the need of mere physical rest and recuperation, while the rest of God determined it, and the appointed, hallowed, sanctified Sabbath of God marked or noted it, determining when it began and when it closed. This is important; and it is important to note that the reckoning of time by weeks was evidently from the beginning and continued throughout the entire time of Bible history. But as we shall be led to these considerations again a little further on, we now pass them for the present, and call attention especially to the ordinance of the passover. Ex. 12.

1. Its name. It is denominated by God, “The ordinance of the passover,” “the feast of unleavened bread.” Verses 17, 43.

2. Its object. “This shall be unto you for a memorial.” Verse 14. “It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel, when he smote the Egyptians.” Verse 27. It was needful that this great event should be commemorated, and this ordinance is its memorial monument. And mark this fact: We find nowhere in history that God ever erected more than one memorial to commemorate any one event.

3. How enduring. “Throughout your generations, forever.” Verse 14.

4. Who are to observe it. “All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.” Verse 47. “Ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons forever.” Verse 24. “A foreigner and a hired servant shall not eat thereof.” Verse 45. “There shall no stranger eat thereof; but every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.” Verses 43, 44. Mark this characteristic: Only Israelites were to eat thereof.

5. How to be kept. “Ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.” Verse 14. “Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread. . . . And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation unto you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that [i. e., in the preparation of that] which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.” Note this fact that not all work was forbidden during these holy convocations. The passover lamb might be killed and dressed, and the feast prepared. Mark the distinction between this passover festival and the Sabbath.

6. Why God appointed this memorial. “And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage.” Ex. 13 : 14. “And thou shalt show thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in thy mouth; for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt.” Verses 8, 9.

7. When were they to begin keeping this festival ordinance? “When ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he has promised, ye shall keep this service.” This distinction is worthy of special note. They were not to commence the observance of the passover festival until they reached the promised land, and did not do it.

Analyzed, the passover certainly appears to be:

1. A special memorial festive ordinance, and not an institution, nor of general character, like the institutions of marriage and the Sabbath.

2. It commemorated an event peculiar to the Israelites, and hence its observance was confined to them, and forbidden to others.

3. It was, primarily, a festival of thanksgiving, exclusive Sabbath rest not being required.

4. It was an annual festival of seven days’ duration, and not weekly.

5. It was designed to aid the Israelites in keeping in remembrance, throughout all their generations, the great mercy and goodness of God manifested to them, to the end that they might be induced to keep the law of God.

These observations in respect to the passover are presented here, because it is desired to present the thoughts in these papers as they are drawn in consecutive order from the Bible. Comparative and contrastive use will be made of them a little further on.

A. C. SPICER.

BE HUMBLE.

By M. Wood

We are taught in the word of God not to despise the day of small things, nor to lean unto our own understanding, nor trust in an arm of flesh. Very many professed followers of Christ, ignore these words of inspiration; and feel that, because they cannot accomplish some great thing, they may be content to settle down and do nothing. It is necessary to be humble in order to be useful in the cause of God. The humble and comparatively weak instrument may take courage from God’s word, being assured that it is “not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.”

Infinite Wisdom is pleased to employ the weak things of the world to confound the mighty, that God may have the praise; and that no flesh may glory in his presence. Says the great apostle, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God; for I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. . . . My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” And again to the Thessalonians he writes: “As we were allowed of God, to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness.”

What a contrast between the great apostle, and the disciples of the present time! Paul deemed it an exalted privilege to bear a part in the gospel of Christ, while laboring with his hands, that he might be chargeable to no man. He felt his dependence upon God. The people of to-day act and talk as though the cause of God absolutely depended upon them. Sad delusion! Said Christ, “God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” Though every member of the T. & M. Society from Maine to California should withdraw from this, the noblest work in which man may be engaged, it would still go forward until the work of God was accomplished, and the hundred and forty-four thousand had received the seal of the living God.

We are engaged in a work of heavenly origin; had it been of men it would have come to naught long ere this; it would have died in its infancy. But thanks be to God for the cheering reports from every quarter of the field that the Lord of the harvest is still leading on his servants to victory. Man may as well think of dethroning the Almighty, as to think to stay the progress of the last message of mercy. It is destined to soon reap a most glorious harvest.

In the Scriptures we are taught that, while the ambassadors of Christ are willing to spend and be spent in the blessed work of proclaiming the last solemn message of Christ, it is God alone who can give efficacy to the word of his grace, according to the purpose of his will. May all our hopes be in Him whose power can change the

heart, and who can prepare a people unto himself—a people which shall show forth his praise. May the Lord give us a deep and abiding conviction of sin, a growing love for the blessed Saviour, and an increasing relish for holy duties.

M. Wood.

COME UNTO ME.

By C. E. Miller

Precious words of Jesus! How welcome to the hungry, fainting soul! “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.” What words of comfort! How our hearts rejoice as the sweet words of Jesus fall upon the ear. He calls and intreats us to come. He stands with outstretched arms to receive us. Jesus wants us to be near him, that he may shield us from Satan’s cruel power. Is he not our Saviour and our elder brother, and will he not fill our hearts with love and joy and peace? Will he not lead us into green pastures and beside still waters? How gently he folds his loving arms around us and carries the weary ones in his bosom!

“The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth, say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.” Blessed invitation! Come, and receive gold tried in the fire and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed. Jesus, our blessed Advocate, is now finishing his work in the heavenly sanctuary; and he will soon cease to utter the precious words! “Come unto me.” Oh! solemn thought! Let us heed this invitation before it is too late.

How can any one stay away from Jesus when there is such blessedness in his service? It is a service of love, and the everlasting arms are beneath us. Are you weary and faint? Come, and be refreshed. Are you poor? Here are true riches. Are you in need of friends? Here is a “Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” To-day we may come to Jesus; but we know not how soon our probation may be ended, and the voice of mercy forever hushed. Then let us be wise in time, and heed the invitation: “Come unto me.”

“Here mercy’s boundless ocean flows, To cleanse from guilt and heal our woes; Pardon, and life, and endless peace, How rich the gift, how free the grace,” C. E. MILLER.

Continue reading: THE INSENSIBILITY OF THE WORLD TO THE WARNING VOICE OF CHRIST