Editorial Postscripts

Sweat!—Happy the confer­ence, mission, or institution having workers that are not afraid of work. Call it perspiration if that sounds more euphonious ; but sweat is what it is, and that is what it takes—mental effort, physical exertion, endurance, tenacity of pur­pose, sheer determination to stick to a task until it is done, and done thoroughly and well. Union hours have no place in this cause. We have a job to do, a world to warn, a part to play. This calls for all we are and all that we have. Those who take their time, who do only what is asked, or who watch the clock, are headed for the list of undesirables. Willingness to work harder than others work, to fcirgo ease or pleasure, to drive on despite obstacles, to do more than is required, to go the second mile in service, to live with a job by night as by day, carrying it through to conclusion—these are the qualities that ensure success, that command confidence and admiration, and win the approval of God and man. Thank God for the privilege of work.

Tragedy!--It is tragic to wit­ness the ruin of a soul. To see misconceptions formed, sound, reasoning abandoned, strange theories entertained, light set aside as darkness, and darkness received in place of light. To see fellowship turned to alienation and unity changed to discord and 'separation, to watch a fellow worker plunge on toward disaster, yet be powerless to change a mind that is set, a heart that has become closed to reason, evidence, appeal, or warning, is one of the saddest epi­sodes in this vale of tears. Truth is so precious and error is so subtle and deceptive as to make the issue the transcendent one of life. The human mind unaided by the Spirit of God can­not discern the subtleties of error and perver­sion. Let us never take the first step that leads away from the mastership of the Spirit of truth. Then we can never take the last one.

Posture!—Our pulpit posture during public prayer is more than a personal matter. We officiate in the desk as a public ex­ample, teacher, and representative of the people. We cannot, without confusion and disharmony, kneel in varying postures—some facing the pul­pit chairs and some the congregation, some kneeling on one knee and some on both, some kneeling erect with head bowed while others crouch or sit back on their heels. Dignity, grace, and harmony befitting public representa­tives of the people should characterize our pulpit postures.

Doubt!—Doubt and prejudice, like tiny foreign particles in the eye, often blur the vision, absorb the full attention, and shut out every other consideration. Blinding tears and excruciating pain are frequent accompani­ments. Beautiful landscape vistas become vir­tually nonexistent. If the intruding particle be of steel or of glass, with a vicious cutting edge, the vision may be lost and the eye receive grave injury, with permanent blindness sometimes re­sulting. Protect the eye of the soul with all diligence. Seek the help of some skillful friend or spiritual physician before the injury becomes too serious. Get Out that doubt or prejudice that might have lodged in your mind's eye, before it ruins your vision.

Clergy!—As in apostolic days, we are to expect a large number of the priests and clergy to believe and accept the final three­fold message. As the contrast between the remnant church and the apostatizing churches of the world becomes more sharp and decided, and the abandonment of those principles of Protestantism becomes more pronounced in these organizations, many godly ministers will break with Babylon and heed the rising call to join the remnant church. The majority of God's children are still within the ranks of Babylon, and this includes many of their ministers. These we must reach and win. But just how shall we welcome these clergymen ? What will be their relation to the advent movement? How shall we use them? We need to do some serious thinking just here.

Baptism!—Should baptisms in a city having several churches, each with an ac­tive minister, all be pooled during the time of a protracted evangelistic endeavor and be allowed only in connection with the central effort, in order to swell the baptismal record of the visit­ing evangelist? In other words, should baptisms be restricted to the effort irrespective of inte­gral connection therewith? The issue is really this : Does the evangelist come to maintain his own record or to aid the local pastors by enlarg­ing and strengthening their membership ? This is more than an academic or facetious question. Cordial working relationships are involved, and the good name and future welcome of evange­lism are at stake. The work of a major effort with its evangelistic company and the associated labors of the local pastors make possible the results.                                                        

L. E. F.