Salvation can never be earned. It is not the reward of any human merit. The reward which Christ will bring with Him for every man's works is to be sharply contrasted with salvation, which is a free gift, wholly of grace.
The appalling iniquity of the time has come because men are fast losing the consciousness of God and the sense of sin. Therefore we must not fail in throwing our emphasis on " Pear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come."
Multitudes of churches are making every appeal but the appeal of Christianity,— ethics, entertainment, intellectualism, social betterment, politics, and what not, but barren of the gospel. If you want something that will capture the hearts of men in this age of godlessness, preach the saving provision of the atoning death and the indwelling life of our Lord in the glorious setting of this impregnable message. It is for this that the souls of men are dying. It is this that will prove the greatest possible attraction.
Seventh-Day Adventists are steadily and surely becoming the only true Protestants and evangelicals left. Denominational apostasy is being followed by individual apostasy. Even the faithful in the other churches are one by one losing their vision and drifting into compromise, modernism, and social service. We are in the midst of a strong current which we must breast. Foreign mission endeavor is but a " giving and taking," is the popular cry of the hour. It is no longer conceded to be a life-and-death question. The contrast between our concept and theirs should become sharper and clearer each passing hour. May God pour upon us the heavenly oil until in this night of time the earth is lightened with His glory.
Every minister, as the servant and follower of his Master, should train his " twelve " and his " seventy," and send them forth as evangels of our returning Lord. Brethren, let us multiply our labors thus, and become trainers of future leaders and workers for God.
Eleven thousand three hundred ninety-four churches in three popular denominations failed to win a single convert last year. And think of the investment, the bustling activity, and the number of sermons preached — yet stagnation! A name to live, and yet death! It alarmed the denominations involved, and well it might. Wealth, luxury, compromise, modernism, apostasy, and spiritual death,— it is a sad story. Yet let us not turn the searchlight too far afield in this matter of soul winning. Let us take our own statistical records, and ask, What is the net increase in my union, my local conference, my district, or church? May God help us to learn the lesson of the tragic mistake of others, and to avoid any duplication. Souls redeemed, obedient, serving, supporting,— to win such souls is our sole business. If we fail here, we are failing in everything.
L. E. Froom.
