AGAIN an end has come to our volume. The sands of time have run out for another year. As we look back upon the past twelve months, we recall many earnest workers and examples who have entered into their rest, and while we rejoice in their gain, we sorely deplore our loss. The battle field has too few men of courage and of faith in it, and the call for front rank men is very urgent.
Let the young men bestir themselves. This day is one of amazing liberty for gospel effort, whether at home or abroad. Persecution does not stand in our way as it did in that of our forefathers. The great bugbear of our times is contempt!
But while many are taught to scorn the ancient implicit faith in the Scriptures, let it be remembered, that most of such are ignorant of the Scriptures they scorn! Their armor is usually the thick steel plates of ignorant pride. The leaders of the movement against faith in the inspired Word, however, are not ignorant of the Bible, but many of them do not believe its words because they dislike them.
It is a fashionable unbelief to disbelieve in the judgment of God against sin, and thus to make light of the atonement of Christ, and to trifle with eternal judgment to come.
The words are plain in the Scriptures, the voice of its God-breathed teachings cannot be gainsaid, but since such solemn verities are not pleasing to man’s ears, he is pleased to say these things are not true. And man makes himself the judge of God, and rebels against the divine authority and testimony.
Now we need brave men who shall have the spiritual courage necessary to speak up for God, who shall preach the Word with uncompromising fidelity, who shall declare His truth for His glory, whether Inert will hear or whether they will not. Let us remember that the Word of God is eternal, “it abideth forever,” and when the world shall be no more, and the last grain of the sands of time shall have run out, men shall stand before God and shall be judged according to His Word. Where will infidels be in that day?
There will be no infidelity in eternity! But there will be many infidels called forth from their graves to the bar of God’s judgment to give an account to Him of every word they uttered when upon the earth.
Let us each ask himself, how shall I stand in that great day? It will be impossible to shirk the issues of eternity then. These can be evaded during this life, but no longer. Yet in this life alone can it be decided whether we are Christ’s or the enemies. Eternity will record the facts of this lifetime, and what we are now we shall be everlastingly.
Let us then be each of us honest with ourselves at the solemn season of a closing year, a season ordained by God not only to mark time, but to make us think of the passing away of our little span of years. With some of us, the head is whiter than it was last January! With some, a weakness we shall never shake off, has got its grip of us. With some, the lines of severe sickness from which we have been mercifully raised up, appeal to us to remember how uncertain are our lives. With some, the garments of mourning call to our hearts the loss of friends and relations. How shall we spend eternity? Oh! let this ending year be witness of our firm trust in Jesus our Lord, and rest in His atoning blood.