Finishing!—This work will never be finished by new methods, but by new men,—Spirit-filled, Christ-enthroned men. It will never be compassed by new appeals, catchy slogans, and clever human devices, but by a new relation to the omnipotent Christ. He will cut it short in righteousness,—the righteousness with which He clothes and empowers wholly yielded men.
Curious! — It is a curious and most human trait that would juggle the applicability of statements in the Spirit of prophecy. When it comes to certain messages which do not appeal, it is easy to relegate them to the historic past, allowing no present application. But with others, which encourage a question of particular, personal interest, there is declared a most solemn and emphatic application now. This observation is with reference to testimonies dealing with general and timeless principles, not with personal and localized messages. Wanted: More consistency!
Harmony!—Truth is expansive and light is cumulative, designed to shine more and more unto the perfect day. It should therefore be most heartily sought for and warmly welcomed. But all true light coming in the time of this message will be in harmony with and in the setting of the message. It will not be a thing apart. It will not depreciate the message; rather, it will cause it to glow with added luster. It will fill in gaps, strengthen weak elements, clarify confused ideas, or correct erroneous impressions. When genuine, it will be Biblical, reasonable, practical, and harmonious with all previous and present light.
Criticism!—There are two kinds of critics and criticisms,—helpful and harmful, constructive and destructive. The first springs from genuine friendship. It has the welfare of the thing or person concerned truly at heart. It grows out of a bounden sense of duty. It ever builds instead of destroys, it boosts instead of knocks, though pain may be involved in the process. But destructive criticism is negative, hurtful, profitless. It springs from envy, jealousy, smallness of soul, littleness of vision, or plain cantankerousness of disposition. Some unworthy thing lies at the root. God keep us from such, and make us helpers, not hinderers!
Abandonement!—Little do we know of real sacrifice today. Sheltered, clothed, fed, counting as commonplaces the comforts unknown in past generations, we now consider luxuries well-nigh as necessities. Before our characters are perfected and our allotted task is done, the example of our divine Pattern — in sweeping simplicity, sacrifice, and abandonment in service — will be repeated in the church of His choice. Are we ready for it? Oppressive legislation, with resultant persecution and thickening calamities, will bring it — together with the sifting—if we do not voluntarily enter into the covenant of sacrifice. Better were it voluntary.
L.E.F.
