“Then had the churches rest.... and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.” (Acts 9:3232And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. (Acts 9:32)).
SEASONS of great disquiet and unrest are not characterized by much advancement in the work of building up believers, though Afterward it may be discovered that the testing’s had helped to greatly consolidate the work already done. The persecution which arose after the death of Stephen mightily shook up the early churches, but it was when rest was once more granted to them, that both edification and multiplication took place.
Nor is it otherwise today. We are not undergoing persecution from the world without. The disquiet that so often afflicts us is almost entirely generated from within; yet it is none the less potent in its effect. The whole atmosphere of our age is electrical with unrest; and this is just as true in the church as in the world. The great adversary knows right well how effectively unrest arrests edification. Let us not be ignorant of his devices.
It is true, of course, that we cannot avoid conflict. The adversary gives us no option here, and it is not ours to avoid it by tamely surrendering everything. What we have to watch against is the spirit of disquiet pervading our hearts and so leading us to act as agitators of others. Truth is never served by the methods of the agitator, no matter how good may be the cause for which he agitates. To act thus is a great snare to many a zealous man, but it is not of God and is most disastrous in its effects.
We greatly desire—in our small way—to promote edification, as may be supposed by the title of our magazine. Yet we keenly realize that it is not enough to supply some reading matter of a edifying nature, in order that our objective may be attained. Unless our readers have hearts at leisure and free from agitating circumstances, they will not profit much in their reading.
All true edification leads to holy practice. “Edified and walking.” Walking signifies activities; and to have our activities in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost is a wonderful thing. The fear of the Lord restrains all evil. The comfort of the Holy Ghost promotes all good. Multiplication follows as a necessary consequence, just as disquiet promotes disintegration.
So let us “study to be quiet,” and thus be in a suitable condition to receive any word of edification which may reach us. Depend upon it the more we go in for edification the more we shall avoid agitation and have the joy of seeing multiplication. Mere sensationalism may sometimes gather crowds of hearers or readers, but such multiplication does not endure. We desire something that lasts; and may God grant to writers and readers, and the editor also, such grace as may conduce to this end.