"But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away; how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?"
Here the work of the two covenants is brought to view. Ministration means the service, or work, of a minister. Some time since, we gave an exposition of this text at some length. In this article we intend to notice only these ministrations.
Why was the service under the old covenant called the ministration of death? Was there not death under both covenants? Yes, under both. And in its proper sense, there was more of death under the second than under the first. We will illustrate this point.
The idea in all the offerings under the law was that of substitution. "The wages of sin is death." Life is forfeited by sin. And as "the life is in the blood," the blood of the substitute must be shed to make atonement; "for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Lev. 17:11-14.
On the day of atonement, a goat was killed and his blood was sprinkled upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat, to atone for the sins of the people. Lev. 16. But a goat is not a valuable equivalent for a man; much less for a whole nation. But might it not be that by its constant repetition it might be accepted as an equivalent? No; the lives of a thousand goats are not worth as much as the life of one man. And so Paul says: "It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." Heb. 10:4. Those sacrifices "offered year by year continually" could not perfect those who made the offering. "But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year." Heb. 10:1, 3. Instead of taking away sin by their yearly repetition, they were continual reminders of sin; those sacrifices were continual illustrations of the justice of God and the desert of the sinner.
If a man owed to another an ounce of gold, how long would it take to pay the debt in ounces of clay, each ounce being of no value? The answer is ready: It could never be so paid. Millions of ounces might be given, but the debt would remain. But a goat is of no value whatever, as far as the great object of a sacrifice is concerned. True, debt is not crime, and crime, strictly speaking, is not debt; but we use these terms in illustration.
On the other hand, if a man owed an ounce of brass, and offered in payment an ounce of gold, how quickly the payment would be accepted. It would be accepted as more than equivalent to many ounces of brass. And would not every one say there was more of real payment in one ounce of gold than in millions of ounces of worthless clay? Surely they would.
And for this reason we say that there was more of death, more real sacrifice, in the offering made in the new covenant, than in all the offerings under the old. The sufferings of Christ were beyond comparison and beyond comprehension. Even so his life in value was beyond computation, or comparison, or comprehension.
It is very evident, then, that it was not because of the death of many sacrifices under the old covenant that the work of its priests was called the ministration of death. Nor was it because death was ever present before the sinners; for this is the great theme of gospel preachers. Paul not only said that "we preach Christ crucified," but he said: "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." 1 Cor. 1:23; 2:2. Jesus took upon him our nature, "was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, . . . that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." It was only through death that he could destroy him that had the power of death (Heb. 2:9, 14); only through his death are we reconciled to God. Rom. 5:10.
Wherein, then, is the contrast? It is in the effect of the two ministrations. The priests of the first covenant were ever presenting before the people reminders of their guilt, and of its desert, death, as illustrated in the death of the victims. And they had nothing beyond this to present or to promise. The blood which they shed and which they offered, took away no sin, and made no one perfect. Their covenant was based upon, "If ye will obey." Ex. 19:5-8. But it made no promise to the sinner; it had no offering which could bring him relief. In the ark, on the tables of stone, was a complete moral law. Violation of this law was sin, odious sin, which God abhorred, and for which they will be brought into Judgment. Eccl. 12:13, 14. But that covenant contained no pardon.
Now notice the difference. The blood of the new covenant, the blood of Christ, cleanses from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:7, 9. It purges the conscience. Heb. 9:14. In this covenant, the Spirit of God writes the law upon the heart; and, therefore, the promises of this covenant are better—better suited to the sinner's wants—than those of the old; it promises forgiveness of sin, and everlasting life. 2 Cor. 3:3; Heb. 8:6-12. This is "the ministration of the Spirit," "the ministration of righteousness." It leads us to holiness, to life, to glory.
But were not the promises of holiness, and of being a peculiar treasure unto the Lord, contained in the first covenant? They were. Ex. 19:5-8. Why, then, was it called so inferior to the new covenant? Not because holiness was not the same; for holiness under that covenant was exactly what it is in this. Compare 1 Peter 1:15, 16, with Lev. 19:2. Not because being a peculiar treasure unto God was not as great a blessing then as now, but because these rich and precious blessings were promised only on that condition, "If ye will obey." But they were a stiff-necked people (Ex. 33:5); a disobedient and gainsaying people. Rom. 10:21. They broke his covenant, and of course he could not regard them as a holy nation, for they were not holy. Jer. 31:32; Heb. 8:9.
How thankful should we be that we have the privileges of the new covenant; that we may be reconciled to God by the death of the cross, and cleansed from all unrighteousness by the precious blood of the Lamb of God. Well may we glory in the cross here, and lose sight of all knowledge but that of Jesus Christ and him crucified; for the power and efficacy of that blood will raise the songs of praise in the throng of the redeemed and glorified saints: "For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." Rev. 5:9. May we so strive, and may the Lord so bestow his grace, that we may be of the number who sing that song.
Nature of the Law.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
HAVING found that the law must be in force wherever the gospel is preached, it is very proper that we learn something in regard to its nature. What we have already learned would teach us that it is just the opposite of sin, for "sin is the transgression of the law." But we will see what the Bible has to say further on this subject.
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." "More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned; and in keeping of them there is great reward."
This comprises all that may be said of the law; for nothing can be more than perfect. Nothing can be added to that which is perfect, neither can anything be taken away, without leaving it imperfect. Therefore the testimony of David teaches us that when God spoke his law it was in just the form that he wanted it, and that he never designed that any change should be made in it.
In perfect accord with the above testimony, the apostle Paul says: "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just, and good." Rom. 7:12. This being so, we would naturally expect that the keeping of the commandments would make the keeper thereof perfect and holy. This we find is the case. Moses said to the Israelites:—
"And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us." Deut. 6:25.
Observe how perfectly this agrees with what we find in the New Testament: Moses said that to keep the law is righteousness. Of course the opposite of righteousness is unrighteousness, and John tells us that "all unrighteousness is sin." 1 John 5:17. Then we must conclude that sin is just the opposite of obedience to the law; and that brings us to the original definition: "Sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4. Unrighteousness means any deviation from that which is right; and since all unrighteousness is sin, we know that the slightest deviation from right is a transgression of the law.40
To show that this reasoning has solid scriptural foundation, we quote Ps. 119:96:—
"I have seen an end of all perfection; but thy commandment is exceeding broad." And to show how broad and far-reaching it is, we have only to read Heb. 4:12:—
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
Thus we learn that the law is so broad that it takes cognizance of the very thoughts of the heart, and not alone the outward acts. As illustrating this, we have our Saviour’s words in the sermon on the mount:—
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment; but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." Matt. 5:21, 22.
Again we quote verses 27 and 28 of the same chapter:—
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery; but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."
Other instances might be given; but these are sufficient to show the breadth of the commandments of God. The sixth commandment may be broken by a single angry thought that may never be expressed; and the seventh may be as effectually broken by a single wrong desire as by the overt act. Surely the law of God is broad; and since in all its prohibitions and requirements it is perfect, we can readily and naturally accept the words of the wise man, in Eccl. 12:13:—
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man."
This statement, we repeat, is a natural consequence of what has preceded; for the keeping of a perfect law will make a man perfect, and nothing more than perfection can be required. There is no sin conceivable that is not forbidden by the ten commandments, and no righteous act or thought that is not commended and enjoined by them. Of course it would be impossible to go through the whole list of possible thoughts and deeds, in order to demonstrate this; but it will be found true in every case. Things may be mentioned which at first sight may seem to many persons to be outside of the ten commandments; but a little careful thought will show that nothing can be done that is beyond or outside of the perfect law of God. We have not the slightest fear of being brought to confusion because of this statement. We repeat, Nothing more than the duties enjoined in the ten commandments can be required of any man.
In this connection it will be well to notice Matt. 5:20, which some may think opposed to the statement last made, but which strongly supports it. We quote: "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven." This text would be opposed to the statement made in the preceding paragraph if it could be shown that the scribes and Pharisees kept the law perfectly, but not otherwise. Indeed, this verse could not teach that it is a man’s duty to do more than the ten commandments, without contradicting the 19th verse, which says that "whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven." It must be, then, that the scribes and Pharisees, while professing to keep the commandments, did not do all that the law requires. This we shall find was the case, if we read Matt. 23:25-28:—
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."
The scribes and Pharisees pretended to keep the law, and so far as their outward acts were concerned, they did keep it; but Christ, who "knew what was in man," saw that in their hearts they despised the law, and that they grievously transgressed it, but yet in such a way that men could not know their wickedness. Such obedience, Christ taught, will not suffice to gain an entrance into Heaven. Unless your obedience to the law is more thorough than that, you can in no case enter the kingdom of Heaven.
Here we see the difference between obedience only to the letter and obedience to the spirit of the law. The law is spiritual, and therefore the spirit of it must be obeyed; but some people think on this ground to excuse themselves for disobeying the law. Say they, "The Lord reproved the scribes and Pharisees for their obedience to the letter of the law, therefore we should not think ourselves bound by the letter; if we keep the spirit, that is sufficient." But mark, the Saviour did not say that our righteousness must be entirely different from that of the scribes and Pharisees, but that it must exceed it. To exceed means, "to pass or go beyond;" and by using that word the Saviour showed that we must keep the law as well as the scribes and Pharisees did, and a great deal better. Not only must the law be kept outwardly, but it must be obeyed from the heart. He did not reprove the Pharisees for refraining from open adultery; but he reproved them for the lust with which their hearts were filled, and which nothing but their love for the applause of men kept them from manifesting openly. Christ did not reprove them because they refrained from actual murder, but because they cherished envy, hatred, and enmity, thus as effectually breaking the sixth commandment as though they had actually taken human life.
E. J. W.
(To be continued.)
Danger in and to Society.
It is not pleasant to think that society is permeated with evil to its core, but it is impossible to shut our eyes to facts, however unwelcome. The N. Y. Tribune, speaking of the prevailing and unseemly boldness manifested by the girls of this age, said:—
“Why do these passions thus dominate our social life, like the seven devils who found the house swept and garnished, and entered in to take possession? We believe one reason to be that the barriers are lowered in domestic life to allow them to come in. Matters are discussed in the presence of young girls which once matrons blushed to mention. There is a familiarity with vice, an acceptance of it as a matter of course, shown in our newspapers, in our ordinary talk, in our pulpits, which debases the minds of the young. The very air in which our children live is poisoned. No legislation, no single reform, can touch this disease, any more than it could cure the malaria which slays its victims by the thousand. It is for each family, each clergyman, each mother, to clean and sweeten their own household.”
The Missionary.
By O. A. Olsen
Our Home Tract and Missionary Work.
ALL are not called to be ministers or missionaries to foreign lands. Neither may they be called to take a place as Bible workers in city missions, or as canvassers or colporters. Still you have a work to do; and the Lord will call you to an account for your stewardship. We need home missionaries, workers right near home. Your own family presents a field for labor; your neighbor and your neighbor's children present another field. These souls are just as precious and their salvation just as important, as those in distant States or in far-off countries. When God inquires of you where your neighbors are, what will your answer be?
Mothers with their families around them have wished they could act the part of Mrs. Judson, and work for the heathen. That is no wrong wish in itself. But many times they forget the missionary field in their own families. Many a time my heart has been sad to see the indifference manifested by parents toward their children. The mother who succeeds in bringing her children to God, and presenting them saved in his kingdom, has done a most noble work. Would there could be more of a true missionary spirit right in our own homes, that our children might be educated in it from their very infancy. But sad it is when the father is so driven with care and labor, and the mother the same, that what is seen of home religion is only formality.
There may be a family altar, or there may not; but be that as it may, the great burden is to work and plan continually for the purpose of making property, gathering treasures in this world only to feed the flames of the day of God, or be a curse to the children to whom they leave it. Better seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Better make the religion of God of the first importance in the family. What if we should not make quite so much money? Better far that the mother take time to read the Bible and teach the children in the way of God, even if they should be more humbly clad, and not compare so well with the fashionable style of the world. Oh, if that heavenly adorning could beautify us, we might well dispense with this world's gaudy show. There is work for all, and may God help us all to find our place, and act our part to his glory.
And what more need we say? Our home churches and Sabbath-schools need live workers everywhere. Time is short, and what is to be done must be done quickly. We expect much from the week of prayer. By taking time for self-examination, prayer, and meditation, we hope to be enabled to appreciate the time we live in, and its great wants, and from this time on to act a part which will meet the mind of the Spirit of God.
Oh for a deeper draught from the Living Fountain, that our empty souls may know something of the divine fullness,—for a living connection with the divine Saviour, that it may be manifest that we have been with Jesus and learned of him; that this dead formality which many of us have lived in, may give place to activity, that the living power of the truth may be manifest in us. Then there will be a marked change in our attitude, and the power of God will be manifest among his people; our works will correspond with our profession, and our faith will be a living reality. Then prosperity will attend our work at home and abroad as never before.
May the great Head of the church grant it for Christ's sake.
O. A. OLSEN.
God’s Laws and Human Consequences
God’s laws are adamant. He that thrusts forth violent hands against them breaks not the law so much as he breaks himself.—Cumberland Presbyterian.
What One Woman Did for Japan.
In 1880 the prisons of Kioto held an unusual number of political prisoners, taken during the rebellion on the island of Kiushiu. Many of them were high in rank and honor among their countrymen. A few had been pardoned, many had been executed, while a large number were held as prisoners for a term of years. Much of the public work of the city then was, and is still, accomplished by gangs of prisoners under overseers.
In a remote part of Kioto, an earnest, gifted woman had gathered a girls' school at home. Eager of heart, alert, wise but wary, her noble presence had won its way with the men and women of Japan in quarters that were inaccessible to others. "More work for Jesus," was her watchword; and this is what happened to her. One day at morning worship a gang of prisoners filed into the yard, and began cutting the grass in the inclosure. The girls were just singing their sweet hymns, "Jesus, I my cross have taken," and "I'm glad I'm in the army;" and the unusual words and tone arrested the prisoners' ears, all unaccustomed to such sounds in their own language. Cautiously they crept nearer and nearer to the piazza, till the teacher stepped forward, and asked them all to enter. Eagerly they climbed the steps, and were soon
within the walls. It was a strange sight for a girls' school—the overseer with the lash and sword, and these sad-faced men with their clanking chains. But the songs ring out their glad welcome, and the organ peals forth its sweet tones; then the old, old story is read from the Gospel of Mark.
"That is strange talk. We would like to hear more of it," they say, slowly filing out. "Come again! come again! You are welcome," responds the teacher, with a silent prayer. So, as the men were brought for two or three days in the same vicinity, the scene was repeated with increasing interest.
After a few weeks a request was sent from the prison for a Christian teacher, and this strong, brave woman went forth fearlessly, under guard of an officer of the law, if not to preach, at least to speak, to those souls in prison. Once only, but mark the result. Months after, when some of these men were released and returned to their homes in Kiushiu, they carried the precious seeds dropped into their hearts in the girls' school; and by and by there came a pleading call for a missionary to be sent; one responding to their call, found a church in all but name,—a waiting company of believers hungering to be taught of the Lord.—Leaflet.
Square Your Accounts.
THE old year is in the past, and merchants and tradesmen have taken invoice of stock on hand, accounts, cash on hand, and general assets. There is an item that is generally omitted, to which we now call your careful attention, and that is your cash account with God. The people of God from the earliest ages have been required to pay one-tenth of their income to him. Long before Moses lived, Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, the type of Christ, who said, "These things ought ye to have done and not to have left the other undone." We are bold to make the statement that there is enough money lying in bank vaults, belonging to God, with which to clothe all the naked, feed all the hungry, educate all the ignorant, and belt the world with gospel light as broad as the spheres upon which the feet of fallen and lost man have trodden.
No man or woman can be said to have given a penny to God's cause until the tithes are all brought in. Men and women who only give to God's cause and his poor when they are thawed out, are like icicles on the north side of a house, that shed a few drops of ice water on the warmest days in winter, but are larger and longer and more icy as the sun goes down. Let all of our readers see to it that God's cause has the one-tenth, and then make thank offerings and alms to the poor, until, like Cornelius, while fasting and praying, your soul shall be feasted by an angel declaring, "Thy prayers and thy alms are come up for a memorial before God;" thy prayer is heard. "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. . . . This whole nation." "Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, . . . and prove me now here-with, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it; . . . and ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts." Mal. 3: 8-12.
Square up your accounts with God!—Chicago Fire and Hammer.
Sufferings of the Judsons.
By Editor
IT is sometimes the case (is it not quite often?) that they who own to a call from the Lord to work in his vineyard, feel that they have a hard time. Sometimes they compare their lot with that of some others in the ministry. Sometimes they feel that they are called to labor in an unpleasant field. It may be profitable to such to read what others have suffered for the cause of Christ and to "rescue the perishing." And "ministers' wives" often think they have a hard lot, of suffering and privation. The following, from the journal of Mrs. Judson, ought to prove instructive to all who believe that the Third Angel's Message is a missionary message, and feel that they have the privilege of taking a part in this glorious work.—ED. SIGNS.
On the 8th of June, just as we were preparing for dinner, in rushed an officer, holding a black book, with a dozen Burmans, accompanied by one, whom, from his spotted face, we knew to be an executioner, and a "son of the prison." "Where is the teacher?" was the first inquiry. Mr. Judson presented himself. "You are called by the king," said the officer—a form of speech always used when about to arrest a criminal. The spotted man instantly seized Mr. Judson, threw him on the floor, and produced the small cord, the instrument of torture. I caught hold of his arm. "Stay," said I; "I will give you money." "Take her too," said the officer; "she also is a foreigner." Mr. Judson, with an imploring look, begged they would let me remain till further orders. The scene was now shocking beyond description. The whole neighborhood had collected; the masons at work on the brick house threw down their tools, and ran; the little Burman children were screaming and crying; the Bengalee servants stood in amazement at the indignities offered their master; and the hardened executioner, with a kind of hellish joy, drew tight the cords, bound Mr. Judson fast, and dragged him off, I knew not whither. In vain I begged and entreated the spotted face to take the silver and loosen the ropes; but he spurned my offers, and immediately departed. I gave the money, however, to Moung Ing to follow after, to make some further attempt to mitigate the torture of Mr. Judson; but instead of succeeding, when a few rods from42the house, the unfeeling wretches again threw their prisoner on the ground, and drew the cords still tighter, so as almost to prevent respiration.
The officer and his gang proceeded on to the court-house, where the governor of the city and officers were collected, one of whom read the order of the king to commit Mr. Judson to the death-prison, into which he was soon hurled, the door closed, and Moung Ing saw no more. What a night was now before me! I retired into my room, and endeavored to obtain consolation from committing my case to God, and imploring fortitude and strength to suffer whatever awaited me. But the consolation of retirement was not long allowed me; for the magistrate of the place had come into the veranda, and continually called me to come out, and submit to his examination. But previously to going out, I destroyed all my letters, journals, and writings of every kind, lest they should disclose the fact that we had correspondents in England, and had minuted down every occurrence since our arrival in the country. When this work of destruction was finished, I went out, and submitted to the examination of the magistrate, who inquired very minutely of everything I knew; then ordered the gates of the compound to be shut, no person to be allowed to go in or out, placed a guard of ten ruffians, to whom he gave a strict charge to keep me safe, and departed.
It was now dark. I retired to an inner room with my four little Burman girls, and barred the doors. The guard instantly ordered me to unbar the doors and come out, or they would break the house down. I obstinately refused to obey, and endeavored to intimidate them by threatening to complain of their conduct to higher authorities on the morrow. Finding me resolved in disregarding their orders, they took the two Bengalee servants, and confined them in the stocks in a very painful position. I could not endure this, but called the head man to the window and promised to make them all a present in the morning, if they would release the servants. After much debate, and many severe threatenings, they consented, but seemed resolved to annoy me as much as possible. My unprotected, desolate state, my entire uncertainty of the fate of Mr. Judson, and the dreadful carousings and almost diabolical language of the guard, all conspired to make it by far the most distressing night I ever passed. You may well imagine, my dear brother, that sleep was a stranger to my eyes, and peace and composure to my mind.
Santa Rosa, Cal.
By John Norton Loughborough
FROM December 19 to January 3, I was with the church in Santa Rosa. During this time I gave eight discourses, held twenty Bible-readings and seven other meetings, and made sixteen family visits. The most of these Bible-readings were at private houses, where several of the neighbors of the families had been invited in. It was my first experience in that kind of labor; and I decided that it was not only a good thing for me, but that if those in each church who are qualified to do so would hold readings where a few could be called in, much good would result.
We had a meeting each afternoon in the week appointed for prayer. These were profitable for the church. On Christmas day the contributions for the European and Scandinavian Missions were made. Though there are many poor persons in this church, almost every one did something, the sum amounting to sixty dollars.
The last Sabbath of our meeting with them was their church quarterly meeting. They said there was the largest turnout that day they had seen in the house for a long time. We were glad to find some new ones interested in the truth, and hope that the time is not far distant when many more may be gathered to the church in Santa Rosa.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
San Jose, Cal.
By G. D. Ballou
THE week of prayer was a season of real profit to the church in San Jose. Though not wholly observed from the first on account of the absence of their leader, yet as the week drew toward its close, the spirit of love and union came in to take the place of the distrust and indifference that had so long existed. Although the most of this little company are in straitened circumstances, yet they increased their club of SIGNS to forty-one copies, and ordered over ten dollars' worth of tracts for missionary work. The offerings for the missions were not overlooked. The spirit of labor was manifested by the request that some one be sent to instruct them in the missionary work. They really need a place of worship of their own. This would add greatly to their efficiency in the cause. By request, I spoke in the Christian church Sunday afternoon on the Sabbath question. I trust some lasting impressions were made. G. D. BALLOU.
THE LORD WANTS REAPERS.
OH, whitened fields of golden grain,
O'erspreading every hill and plain,
By ocean shore and northern sea,
By rivers stretching grand and free,
In desert wilds far out of sight,
Where brood the shadows of the night,
Where'er the foot of man hath trod,
Your plumed helmets wave and nod!
The Lord wants reapers, ho! away
At golden dawn of early day;
Gird on your gleaming sickles fair,
And to the waiting fields repair,
Ere wintry storms shall o'er them blow
And lay the ready fruitage low,
Ungarnered to his gracious store,
The summer past, the harvest o'er.
The Lord wants reapers; lo! he stands
Unlocking gates to all the lands;
From farthest east to sunset sea
He cleaves a pathway broad and free,
And brings the far-off people near,
The story of his love to hear.
Some field is waiting for us all;
At home, abroad, where'er the call,
How'er obscure the toil may be,
Give to it will and purpose free.
In God's own wise and righteous time
Thy feet the mountain height shall climb,
Though long amid the shadows deep
'Twas thine to work and wait and weep.
The long, bright day will soon be cried,
When, trooping down the mountain side,
God's gleaming angel host shall come
To shout the finished harvest home,
Unless our idle hands shall stay
The hasting of that glorious day,
Whose first long wave of golden light
Is climbing o'er the distant height.
God's patience waits our prescience slow
The meaning of his ways to know.
The Lord wants reapers; hear the call—
To old and young, to great and small.
Rise up, with sickles gleaming bright,
Amid the morn's advancing light,
And ere the sunset gild the sea
Thy labors richly crowned shall be. —Sel.