managers, denying themselves, they could ere this have had a home of their
own, and besides this have had means to draw upon in case of adversity.
But they will not economize as others have done,
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upon whom they have sometimes been dependent. If they neglect to learn
these lessons, their characters will not be found perfect in the day of God.
Brother B has been the object of the great love and condescension of
Christ, and yet he has never felt that he could imitate the great Exemplar.
He claims, and all his life has sought after, a better portion in this life than
was given our Lord. He has never felt the depths of ignorance and sin from
which Christ has proposed to lift him and to link him to His divine nature.
It is a fearful thing to minister in sacred things when the heart and hands
are not holy. To be a co-worker with Christ involves fearful responsibilities;
to stand as His representative is no small matter. The fearful realities of the
judgment will test every man’s work. The apostle said, “We preach not
ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord;” “for God, who commanded the light
to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” The sufficiency
of the apostle was not in himself, but in the gracious influence of the Spirit
of Christ, which filled his soul and brought every thought into subjection
to the obedience of Christ. The power of truth attending the word preached
will be a savor of life unto life or of death unto death. Ministers are required
to be living examples of the mind and spirit of Christ, living epistles, known
and read of all men. I tremble when I consider that there are some ministers,
even among Seventh-day Adventists, who are not sanctified by the truths
which they preach. Nothing less than the quick and powerful Spirit of God
working in the hearts of His messengers to give the knowledge of the glory
of God, can gain for them the victory.
Brother B’s preaching has not been marked by the sanction of God’s
Spirit. He can talk fluently and make a point plain, but his preaching
has lacked spirituality. His appeals have not touched the heart with a new
tenderness. There has been an array of words, but the hearts of his hearers
have not been quickened and melted with a sense of a Saviour’s love.
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Sinners have not been convicted and drawn to Christ by a sense that “Jesus
of Nazareth passeth by.” Sinners should have a clear impression given them
of the nearness and willingness of Christ to give them present salvation.
A Saviour should be presented before the people, while the heart of the
speaker should be subdued and imbued with His Spirit. The very tones
of the voice, the look, the words, should possess an irresistible power to
move hearts and control minds. Jesus should be found in the heart of the
minister. If Jesus is in the words and in the tones of the voice, if they are
mellow with His tender love, it will prove a blessing of more value than all
the riches, pleasures, and glories of the earth; for such blessings will not
come and go without accomplishing a work. Convictions will be deepened,
impressions will be made, and the question will be raised: “What shall I do
to be saved?”
*****
Chap. 3 - Unbalanced Minds
God has committed to each of us sacred trusts, for which He holds us
accountable. It is His purpose that we so educate the mind as to be able to
exercise the talents He has given us in such a manner as to accomplish the
greatest good and reflect the glory to the Giver. We are indebted to God
for all the qualities of the mind. These powers can be cultivated, and so
discreetly directed and controlled as to accomplish the purpose for which
they were given. It is duty to so educate the mind as to bring out the energies
of the soul and develop every faculty. When all the faculties are in exercise,
the intellect will be strengthened, and the purpose for which they were given
will be accomplished.
Many are not doing the greatest amount of good because they exercise
the intellect in one direction and neglect to give careful attention to those
things for which they think they are not adapted. Some faculties that are
weak are thus allowed to lie dormant because the work that should call
them into
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exercise, and consequently give them strength, is not pleasant. All
