The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-10-21

Witnesses For Christ.
The apostles had been put in prison to
Keep them from tcstfying for Christ. Al.
WAYS the enemy gets ready prison and
seeks to lay hands on Christs witnesses
and bind them in prison. The prison is
not always built OF stone or iron. nor
guarded by soldiers. Oftenest nowadays
we find that its walls arc formed merely
of nicely fitted rules OF etiquette. forms
and ceremonies. and held toqet .er by GUS
tom, more firm than any. mortar ever
mixed, though sometimes the building Is
but made of laugh, or little trembling
fear OF what people will say or think.
These all form just rs effcctual walls as
any ever built Of solid masonry. Shut
within so close a prison, what are we to
do? How witness for ouv Redeemer? How
gain a freedom to do so?
The world is the keeper Of this prison
IT says: You are not to speak of religious
things. We want no solemn thoughts to
dampcn our gayety. 1t is not good form
to bring your individual beliefs before 9TH
crs 1t makes them feel uncomfortable.
Neither must YOU for conscience sake re-
fuse TO 70. anywhere or do anything that
others wish, because by so doing you are
casting silent rebuke at them
witnessing is done by acts as well as
words. Sometimes a mere passive smile
for forms sake at an irreverent Jest wit
nesses against our Saviour as truly rs il VIC
had originated it. And words cannot undo
an act that places us with those who do
not love Christ
To those who thus submit to imprison-
ment the angel Of the Lord opens not the
doors OF the prison. But speak from the
prison room and the walls fall! You are
free hencefortb to say what YOU will. You
have broken through the prison by doing
what it has been nut about You to forbid.
BY the very fact that you are free are YOU
commanded by the angel who opens the
prison door, GO, stand, and speak to the
people,"
And Christ's witnesses will he arrairned
to-day Just as of old. They will be called
fanatics and sneered at, perhans. hut all
honor to those servants of the Most Hich
who have the courage to make reply I'VE
OUGHT to obey God rather than men"
The great reason for our witnessing for
Christ is that we owe Him all. He gave
Himself for us: shall we DENY SO great
love? Would the loving child refuse to
witness. by every word ard act that its
witness against Him. And great il the
rejoicing among the enemy when witness
can be won over from the very household
of God. Oh. the shame of it when mem.
hers Of Christ's blood-bourht church sit
with silent lips when Jesus is on trial.
And concerning the way o. wi.re sing.
There are some to whom the idea of bear
ing personal witness in private talk is re-
pugnant. There are Others who are so in
sistent in testifving for Christ that they
forget the wisdom OF serpertS" and the
"harmlessness of doves" enjoined upon
Christ's followers. and testify for Him as
did the severe old Christian butcher, who
asked one of his patrons in solemn voice
ns he cut the meat with the great cleaver,
Madam. are you prepared To de-
II is perhars such injudicious instances
that have held many good and brave peo-
pie from witnessing for Jesus in this per-
sonal wav. And vet there are many who
owe their salvation; under God. TO some
Quiet pleading word from a friend whose
life is consistent with his speech.
While silence is often golden, there are
times when to speak is on imperative duty,
when merely to keen silence is cowardicn
The question OF speaking in prayer meet
ing must give the Christian Erdcavo~cr
much thoupht as to bow TO do it to the
Is made here in the direction Of speech
There is usually a surplus Of golden ST.
lence." Some one has said that our pray.
or meetings are often Ike Siberian rivers
frozen Mt the mouth"
There has been much talk about the way
neopIe take part in their own meetings.
hut it seems MS If we had settled down at
the present time to accept the fact That
most Of them have either become c0nsti.
tutional verse reporters or SIT through the
meeting with sealed lips Even many of
our vounr leaders have fallen into the lazy
habit Of bringing some one of the numer.
ous "helps" on the tonic nr reading from
IT, SERVING so 10 feel their duty fully done.
Now Vt may he true that the writers of
those helps are much moro competent nv
education than many OF the vounr people
who read from them. but that does not
make I'm for the loss of the personal testi-
worv that should come from the vounr
disciple's heart. Stumbling though it
mav be. one sentence of heart love 10
Christ EXPRESSED in the meeting is worth
whole columns of wise sayi~rs a0d telling
illustrations. God misses HIS little hui
man nraise." He would rather hear the
TREMBLING senteroe, ~ love Jrrus." th0n
to hav" the public duty OF testimony dis
charged by readinr arother's worls-
G~a"e Livingston Hill, in the New Yorl;
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