Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-08-16
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.
Topic For the Week Beginning Aug.
1S-Comment by Rev. s. ii. Doyle.

| TorIc-God's requirensnts.-pe Z, l2A
! On Mount Sinai. after the sin Of
| Israel in worshipinc the golden calf,
| Moses interceded for the people before
! God. The Lord heard and granted his
prayer. Il staid in the mouus>t0 days
| and 70 nights, and the Lord hardened
unto me at that time also, and the Lord
would not destroy you. And the Lord
| said unto me, Arise, take thy journey
before the people that they may go in
and possess the land which | swOre
| unto their fathers TO give unto them"
But this was not all. Gods mercy was
great. The people had sinned greatly,
yet God the Lord had not destroyed
them and consequently had right TO
require something Of them in return.
They had forfeited their lives but God
had not demanded the forfeit but he
did require that these forfeited lives
should be used for him. Hence Moses
goes on 10 say. And now, Israel, what
doth the Lord require of theeE' We
stand in the same relation to God as
these ancient Jews. God has spared
our lives, forfeited hy sin. What does
He require Of Us in return: is very.
important question.
Moses emphasized three requirements
Of God-fear love, obedience. What
doth the Lord thy God require Of thee
but TO fear the Lord thy God. to walk
in all His ways and 10 love Him and
to serve the Lord thy God with all
thy heart and with all thy soul:' These
things God also requires OF US, who
have been saved and redeemed by the
death Of His Son, the Lord Jesus
Christ: ~ God requires fear This fear,
however. IS not a slavish fear or dread.
There is a fear which hath torment
and which love casts out as its antago-
mist, but the fear OF God, which he re-
Quires, is that p!ous reverence for Him
which cannot only coexist with love TO
Him but is not where love is not" (2)
God requires US 10 love Hin. Fear is
to be accompanied by love. 1t Is TO be
fear with love Love without fear re-
lakes; fear without love enslayes and
leads TO despair" God requires our su-
preme love - the love Of heart, soul.
mind and strength" II we love IA
Their, mother, brother or sister more
than Hin. we are not worthy Of Him.
God should have the supreme place in
our affections as well SIS in our lives.
90 God requires US TO serve Him. to
obey Him. We are 10 walk in His
WAYS" ITO serve the Lord with all the
heart and all the soul, 10 keep the COM
mandments of the Lord and His stat
utes." Obedience is tie test Of rever-
ence and love. If we reverence and
love God. We VIII obey Him.
Gods requirements are not light. He
requires all - the reverence Of our
minds. the affection Of our hearts, the
service Of our lives; but, though great
His requirements are just. He is wor-
thy all He asks, and We and all that
We are and have are His by creation,
by preservation and by redemption.
Let US therefore cheerfully and willing
Is fear Him. love Hin and serve Him.
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Arrange q special programme cover
ing our duties to God. as individuals.
in the house. the society, the church
and the state.
BIBLE READINGS.
Ex. xxi, liz; Lev. xix. IS; Deut. vi,
Is; Prov. i, I; Mic. vi, :; Feel xii, IS.
Il; Math. vii. IL; XVI, 36-39: Mark iii.
g 81: Phil IL, S g.