The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-02-03


Christ in God, and when Christ, his
life, shall appear, then he also shall
appear with him i'm glory. There is
no room for Il shadow of doubt
upon that point. At once his earthly
life rises above the idea Of pennance
and drudgery and self-denial to the
rank Of iellow-wOrke: with God for
the final conquest of the world. Hav-
ing once for Ill crucilied self with
the affections and lusts, he is now
concerned about his personal purity
only us it affects his fitness for Gods
service. Above everything else in
regard to his outward life is this pre-
vailing thought-'.mect for the Mas
ter's use His highest ambition is
to be ready unto every good work,
wherever and whenever God shall
call. The very possibility of being
unprepared to answer any call the
Lord might make, causes him to
grieye, and he leads Watchful,
prayerful. consecrated life, that so
he may he ready--not to debut
unto every good work. In this sense
every christian life ougt TO he IA sane
tilted life; ii life set apart and purified
for holy and honorable uses as the
Master may direct. 1t may be said
that this high ideal is only for those
whI followed Timothy in the minis.
try of The Word. Almost everybody
is able TO tell how u minister ought
To live, ana to criticise the slightest
delinquency. Bat | wish just here to
claim for the ministry the same free.
dom that is enjoyed by the laity, no
less. no more. God has put us upon
an equality in this matter. What is
right for you, my nearer. is right for
me. l admit that the minister of the
Lord Jesus Christ should he, us Paul
directs Timothy, an example to be-
LEVERS that is. he should show by
his own life the way that every chris
tian out to live. He is continually
telling people how to live; let him
exemplify his teaching by his con-
duct. SO Paul understood when he
wrote: "Be We therefore followers
of me, as | also am of Christ The
point ! wish tn make is this: that en-.
tering the ministry does not manacle
IA man. and restrain him from the eli
joyment of many privileges that God
accords to other christians. The
probability is that if you are ever
found where yon would not like your
minister to be, you are out of youl
proper sphere us one of Gods chill
dren, and have need of purging be-
fore you can become sanctilied, and
meet for the Masters use. The
greatest hindrance there has
ever been to the progress Of the
Redeemer's kingdom is the unclean-
ness of Gods vessels of mercy. So
many in every age, and in every COM
munity are not lit to be used in the
transmission of the water of life to
thirsty souls. God says: depart ye,
depart ye; go we out from thence,
touch no unclean thing; go ye out of
the midst of her; be we clean that
Lear the vessels of the Lord Yet
20 many prolessed christians have no
Intention even of striving after God 5
idea of purity. His statutes are
broken and he pleads with the otfen-
Ter: 20 that thou hadst hearkened to
my commandments then had thy
peace been as u river, and thy
righteous us the waves of the sea.
Yet there is no thought on the part
Of the worldly professor OF attribut.
ing his lack of peace TO his own miss
doing. God says: "Wherefore come
out from among them, and he ye sep
arate, and touch not the unclean
thing; and | Will receive you. Yet
how many there are 50 bound up III
associations with the world that the
Lord himself can II distinguish them
from others, and still complaining
that God is afar off from them.
Others speak of spiritual weakness
and wonder what the cause can be.
while God is grieving over them in
words like these: go that they were
wise, that they understood this, that
they would consider their latter end !!
How should one chase thousand
and two, put ten thousand to flight,
except their Rock had sold them, and
the Lord had shut them up" "Oh
that my people had hearkened unto
me, and Israel had walked in my
ways! l should soon have subdued
their enemies, and turned my hand
against their adversaries. 1t is
strange how Sat an can hOodwink his
victims, when such abundant and
explicit precautions are given in the
Word. God says distinctly: LET no
man deceive You with vain words;
for because of these things cOmeth
the wrath of God upon the children
ut disobedience. BE not ye therefore
partakers with them. For we were
sometimes darkness, but now are We
light in the Lord; walk as children of
light" The truth is that all spiritual
peace. and joy, and strength. and
prosperity, and usefulness, and
growth, is dependent upon IL constant
struggle after heart purity, and sepa-
ration from the world. Brethren, in
all the range of truth l cannot think
of one more important in its practi-
cal bearings than this that l have
suggested. / know that it has be-
came familiar to you by frequent rep
itition from this desk land some might
have desired theme more fresh, and
striking. But think u moment. Are
we each one of us to-day vessels unto
honor, and meet for the Masters use,
ready unto every good work. Are we