|
a a NN th Wa Se
* The path of the just is as |
the shining light, that shin- | |
eth mare and more unto the |
perfect day.” |
EV a a a aT Ta a We
THE
NASHVILLE, TENN., JAN. 29, 1907
WATCHMAN
A NN Na NNN NNN NIN
“The way of the wicked
is as darkness; they know
not at what they stumble.”
No.5
AANA NNN
AT EASE IN ZION
Amos 6:1
E. H. MORTON
Ar ease in Zion! selemn thought!
The things of God are counted naught
By those who bear his name;
They sit and listen to appeals,
While o'er their heart a stupor steals,
And they are lost to shame.
Awake, arouse, O slumbering church;
Begin at once an earnest search
For souls who know not God;
Speak to your neighbor, speak to-day,
And point him to the narrow way,
An earnest zeal, a purpose true,
Will bring the Spirit home to you,
And make yqQu active now;
Then leave your all in God’s own hand,
And with the workers take your stand,
God’s seal upon your brow.
At ease in Zion! awful thought,
For soon life's battle will be fought,
Life's victory be won;
The sleepers then will sleep no more,
For then the chance of chances o'er,
They'll weep o’er work not done.
THE CHURCH OF GOD
MRS. E. G. WHITE
HE church on earth is God's
temple. This building is to
be the light of the world.
It is to be composed of liv-
ing stones laid close to-
gether, stone fitting to stone,
Tell him of Christ the Lord.
{ making a solid building.
All these stones are not of
the same shape or dimensions. Some are
large, and some are small, but each one
has its own place to fill. In the whole
building there is not to be one misshapen
stone. Each one is perfect. And each
“stone is a living stone, a stone that emits
light. The value of the stones is de-
termined by the light they reflect to the
world.
Now is the time for the stones to be
taken from the quarry of the world and
brought into God’s workshop, to be
hewed, squared, and polished, that they
may shine. This is God’s plan, and he
desires all who profess to believe the
truth to fill their respective places in the
great, grand work for this time.
It is God’s design that his church shall
ever advance in purity and knowledge,
from light to light, from glory to glory.
* Whereunto,” asks he who is the first
and the last, “ shall we liken the kingdom
of God, or with what comparison shall
we compare it?” He could not employ
any of the kingdoms of the world as a
similitude. In society he found nothing
with which to compare it. Earthly king-
doms rule by the ascendancy of physical
power; but in Christ's kingdom every
carnal weapon, every instrument of co-
ercion, is to be abolished. This king-
dom is to be established to uplift and
ennoble fallen humanity. Christ makes
his church a beautiful temple for God.
It is the court of holy life, filled with
varied gifts and endowed with the Holy
Spirit. Appropriate duties are assigned
by Heaven to the church on earth, and
the members are to find their happiness
in the happiness of those whom they help
and bless.
Through the ages of moral darkness,
through centuries of strife and persecu-
tion, the church of Christ has been as a
city set on a hill. Irom age to age,
through successive generations, to the
present time, the pure doctrines of the
Bible have been unfolding within her
borders.
The church is God’s fortress, his city
of refuge, which he holds in a revolted
world. Any betrayal of her sacred trust
is treachery to Him who has bought
her with the precious blood of his only
begotten Son. In the past, faithful souls
have constituted the church on earth, and
God has taken them into covenant rela-
tion with himself, uniting the church on
earth with the church in heaven. He has
sent forth his holy angels to minister to
his church, and the gates of hell have not
been able to prevail against it.
Christ has made the church the deposi-
tory of sacred truth. But in order that
the church may be an educating power
in the world, her members must repre-
sent Christ. Their hearts must be open
to receive and impart every ray of light
that God may see fit to impart.
There is need of a higher grade of
spirituality in the church. There is need
of heart purification. God calls his peo-
ple to their posts of duty. Upon their
knees men are to seek God in faith, and
then go forth to speak the Word with
power sent down from on high. Such
men come before the people direct from
the audience chamber of the Most High,
and their words and works promote spir-
ituality.
This age is one of peculiar temptation,
especially to the self-sufficient ones, who
feel no special need of guarding the ave-
nues of the soul. Christ calls upon us
to enter the narrow pathway, where ev-
ery step means a denial of self. He calls
upon us to stand upon the platform of
eternal truth, and contend for the faith
once delivered to the saints. Paul wrote
to Timothy: “ Fight the good fight of
faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto
thou art also called, and hast professed
a good profession before many wit-
nesses.” “Hold fast the form of sound
words, . in faith and love which is
in Christ Jesus.”
As we near the time when principali-
ties and powers and spiritual wickedness
in high places will be fully brought into
the warfare against the truth, when Sa-
tan’s deceptive power will be so great
~ that, if it were possible, he would deceive
the very elect, our discernment must be
sharpened by divine enlightenment, that
we may not be ignorant of Satan’s de-
vices. The whole treasure of heaven is