Restraint!—"Think things through," and, "Sleep over it," are two excellent bits of advice that, if followed, would forestall much difficulty and grief. Many of us are too quick-tempered, too hasty with our oral and written responses. If we would but wait a day or two before writing that sharp letter (even though it were richly deserved), or giving that biting answer, we would have fewer regrets. The "cooling off" principle of restraint is a sound, practical procedure for those whose relationships with others require tact, patience, and forbearance—wholly apart from the basic issue of personal Christian life and action. Unfailing kindness and courtesy made Christ what He was in His relationship to others.
Beware!—Too often university-trained teachers speak depreciatively of soul winners who are without academic degrees, and who have never enjoyed extensive scholastic training in the fields of their own specialty. Such is unseemly. God's evaluation of men is often vastly different from ours. Christ was compelled to pass by the self-sufficient academics of His day and choose, as the founders of His church, humble, teachable men who became the foundation stones of His temple of truth. And God was compelled to pass by the degreed scholars of the early nineteenth century, and to lay His Spirit upon humble men whom He could teach and use. Even yet His choices seem strange to some. While certain men have gone forward with high academic training, those whom they criticize have often gone steadily on in successful soul winning—their critics having few souls, comparatively, to their credit. Beware of the academic superiority complex, based on the wisdom of this world ! There is 'danger in these man-made standards of evaluation.
Threshold!—They hinder the very cause they seek to advance who imply that the day of ministerial evangelism is passing, and soon merely lay evangelism will be the order of the day. That is untrue. Christ committed the care of the church and the propagation of the faith primarily into the hands of the ministry. And this provision will remain operative until the end. Lay evangelism is a vital part of God's great final program of evangelism, and should be increasingly so. But the ordained ministry stands as yet only on the threshold of its greatest opportunities and achievements in public and group evangelism for God. Let none injure the cause and place of lay evangelism by injudicious claims and charges. We never advance our own cause by depreciating or tearing down that of others. We must move forward together, one supporting the other.
Dangerous!—The bigot has settled all doctrine and dogma to his own satisfaction, and is cocksure of his conclusions—which conclusions he would impose upon all others. The zealot would, in the ultimate, put on the rack or excommunicate from the church those who differ from his particular interpretations. This is the sort of spirit which made the inquisitors of old so effective. The flaming eye, and the frenzied instead of reasoned defense of truth, can easily be detected. Utmost sincerity and burning conviction are the usual accompaniments, but for such a tendency ever to gain right of way in our movement would spell ruin. Truth is not only always reasonable, but is ever consistent with reason. It always harmonizes with fact. It does not violate one principle while stressing another. It is not extreme on the one hand, nor is it loose in its allegiance on the other. It is not only in apparent harmony with certain Spirit of prophecy utterances, but it harmonizes with all that the Spirit of prophecy teaches. Its recourse is never to force. May God give us genuine soundness in the. faith, its preservation, and its propagation.
Exemplify!—Evangelists have an unavoidable responsibility in seeing that their younger associates in public efforts—song leaders, pianists, Bible workers, etc.—deport themselves in harmony with the searching character of the judgment-hour message. This is a reform movement, and all its public heralds should exemplify its high principles and practices in dress, deportment, diet, conversation, recreation, and the like. Compromising standards and practices on the part of members of the evangelistic company are wholly incongruous. The evangelist's own personal life should, of course, be above reproach, and that of his workers should be in harmony with the clear and recognized principles of this message. No one needs to remain in the worker ranks if the standard is too high. But of those who desire to remain, these elemental principles of life and conduct are rightly expected by the church.
L. E. F.