IN commencing another year we desire to do I so with thanksgiving to God. From many quarters we have received most cheering words of encouragement, which makes us feel the desirability of continuing this little service to our Lord and Master as well as to His people.
A few have expressed disagreement with one or two statements. We are sorry to find ourselves in conflict with any, but we are responsible to the Lord alone for what has been inserted, and it would be a sad day indeed if we were forbidden to write freely for fear of causing offense. The Scripture is profitable for reproof and correction as well as for doctrine. Let us not refuse its searching us through and through! We would assure our critics that the truth is as dear to us as ever it was, and for this reason we deplore all sectarian narrowness.
We have discharged our conscience in the matter, and though we may not have pleased all men, we believe that even in this we have sought to serve Christ. There we leave it.
We feel more encouraged than we can say to find in these days of increasing apostasy and indifference a real revival in the hearts of our young brethren and sisters. We would encourage with all our heart the desire for a deeper and fuller knowledge of the Scripture, for a closer walk with God, for greater fruitfulness in Christian life, and for more definite service to the Lord. These things have been implanted in them not by any human influence, but, we are persuaded, by the power of the Spirit of God.
We would appeal to all our elder brethren to do all that in them lies to further this fruit of the Spirit’s action, and not in any way to check these buddings of the divine life. Never shall we forget the encouragement received many years ago from a veteran servant of the Lord. We had just commenced to take up definite work in the gospel, and asked this old preacher to give the opening address in a certain place. “Certainly, my lad,” was his reply, “we older ones should do all in our power to encourage the younger.” After thirty-four years that night’s meeting remains indelibly impressed on our memory, for many gave evidence of being blessed.
On the other hand we well remember some years afterward an ardent young soul just brought into fuller light, with overflowing heart, asking an older Christian if there were not some little service she could undertake for her Saviour―teaching in the Sunday school, or something of the kind.
“Work isn’t everything,” was the cold and stern reply from one who soon became one of the greatest troublers of the Lord’s people, and, as to the other, we know not whether she ever recovered the rebuff.
No, work is not everything, but no one will walk worthy of the Lord without being fruitful in work for the Lord and increasing in the knowledge of God.
“Herein is My Father glorified that ye bear much fruit” (John 15:8).
ED.