Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1895-04-04
CHRISTIAN ENoEAvoR.

Topic For the Week Beginning April 7.
Comment by Rev. 8. III. Doyle.
ToPrc.-Things to be consecrated. Ezra Iii.
II.
The children Of Isra6I have returned
AZ, 900 strong from the captivity Of
Babylon. Their first concern was to
build for themselves houses, or to re-
build dilapidated buildings to make
them fit for habitation This done, they
lost no time in repairing as one man to
Jerusalem to re-establish their ancient
worship and to offer sacrifices to their
God, to consecrate themselves and their
all to Him again as in the days Of old.
Let us learn from the topic:
l. All things should be consecrated
to God. This il certainly the teaching
Of Ez. iii. IL. The people observed all
the feasts and offerings that God had
consecrated or enjoined, each one typi-
flying the conservation of something to
God They also gave Of their money
that the temple might be rebuilt and Of
their substance for the same purpose.
All things should be consecrated to God.
Entire conservation is the only accept
able sacrifice that can be made unto
Him. Our bodies. our souls. our pos
sessions. our time. our talents, God re-
quires and expects them all of as.
2. The reasonableness Of entire con-
secration 1t is reasonable because we
ourselves and all that we have belong to
God, and in requiring them Of us He
asks only what is His own. Justice gives
TO all their own 1t is the doctrine of
the Bible throughout that all things be-
long to God. This is applied to our
selves 'Ye are not your own, " SAYS
Paul to the Corinthians, for ye are
bought with price. Therefore glorify
God in your body and your spirit, which
are Gods" Our money and our posses
sions are Gods. "The gold is mine,
the silver is mine, saith the Lord. -
THE earth is the Lords, and the full
ness thereof. Talents and abilities and
positions belong to God, for He gave
them TO us. 1t is He that maketh one an
apostle, another prophet, another a
pastor or an evangelist. It is He also
that exalteth men TO positions Of honor
and influence. All these things are
Gods. We are simply His stewards,
holding them in trust. To consecrate
them entirely to Him, therefore, is sim
ply paying back to Him what belongs to
Him, which ali must admit to be Just
and reasonable.
3. Some characteristics Of entire con-
secration. The sacrifices were voluntary.
It was unregtrained, spontaneous and
from the prompting of their inward
piety. Thus we should consecrate all
things to God willingly and voluntarily.
1t was also continual and regular sac
rifice. Entire conservation should be once
for all. If we were perfect, it could be,
but taking our imperfect natures into
consideration it is necessary for Us to
rededicate and reconsecrate ourselves to
God
Entire conservation is the sum and
substance of Christianity. 1t is for us to
live and yet not live, but for Christ to
live in us. When we can say that Of
ourselves, we are consecrated to God
Can we say it?
Bible Readings. Gen. xviii, 20-22;
Lev. xvii. 80; l Chron. xxx, 81; II
Chron. xxi, .. 8; NAL iii, s-12; Prov
iii, 9. 10; Mic. iv, 13; Math. XIV,
1870; Rom. xii, /, 2; Cor. vi, 20; II
Cor. viii. 5; tx, 6-S; Gal ii, 20; Eph.
V, is, 16; Phil. i, 81.