247
THE KING’S BUSINESS
abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, that we may be unblameable at the coming of our Lord Jésus Christ.” Certainly “watch fulness” is a practical duty, and we a1e to watch, not knowing at what hour the Lord doth come. Certainly ener getic service’ is a practical duty and we are to render that lest He Add us idle at his coming, and utter our con demnation. There is one thing that will not be denied, even our opponents themselves being the witnesses, namely, that the men that held this hope, have so far discharged their, obligation to God as to hâve promoted the interests of His church by personal service, by money sacrifice, by missionary zeal, by intelli gent counsel, by tireless work, so as not to have been surpassed by any people that have ever named His name or joined their fortunes to His cause. 4. This leads us to our last sug gestion. It is the Supreme Appeal to Holy Living! Bishop Brooks declares that ever since the time of the apostles, the coming of the Lord has been the inspiration of the Christian world, , and truly re marks, “The power of any life lies in its expentancy.” Paul could “fight a good fight, finish his course; keep the faith” at any cost, because he knew there was laid up for him “a crown of rejoicing which the Lord, the righteous Judge, should give to him at that day; and not to him only, but also unto all them that love His ap pearing.” To high endeavor! It is not an accident that Carey who undertook winning India; that Taylor, the an swer to whose faith is light for Asia and Africa alike ; that Grattan Guin ness, father of Congo missions; that A. J. Gordon, the wisest counselor and the greatest president the Baptist Mis sionary Union of the United States ever knew; that Arthur Pierson, the best informed man on world-wide mis-
her husband’s speedy return. Gordon says, ‘‘There is a tradition that Mi chael Angelo, by his prolonged and unremitting toil upon the frescoed domes which he wrought, acquired such a habitual upturn of the counte nance, 1 that, as he walked the streets, strangers would observe his bearing, and set him down as some visionary or eccentric;” :And Gordon says, “It is well if we who profess to be Chris tians of the apostolic school, had our conversation. so truly in heaven and our faces so steadfastly set thither ward, that sometimes the ‘man with the muck-rake’ should be led to won der at qs, and to look up with ques tioning surprise from his delving for earthly gold and glory.” The men of Galilee that saw Jesus ascend had this upward look, and it saved them from “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” ; it changed the law of gravi tation, which is commonly of the earth, and pulls earthward, and set its tend ency upward, illustrating a principle in physics, drawing their affections out toward the greater Star—the Star of Bethlehem, and converting them into men that were “in the world yet not of it” ; that could walk its dusty paths and speak with its stained people and yet keep themselves unspotted. 3. Its effect upon the discharge of practical duties. One of the strange arguments brought against premillen- arianism is that it renders its advo cates unfit for practical duties. This argument is neither sustained by the Bible nor by human history, Certain ly “sobriety” is a practical duty, and we are enjoined to that, knowing that ‘‘the day of the Lord cometh as a thief,” Certainly “patience” is a prac tical duty, and we are commanded to exercise it “for a little while,” know ing that, “He that shall come will come and will not tarry.” Certainly “brotherly love” is a practical duty. Our Lord asks that we “increase and
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker