Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1909-11-20

ton OF our acceptance IOr elecuOn ne
requires that our faith shall be Of
strong kind, giving us fortitude for all
Of life's affairs; for all of our Cove
nants with the Lord; for faithful en-
durance Of opposition, contradiction.
etc.. that thus we might be copies OF
our Lord Jesus Christ, as God has or
dained all Of "the elect must be Ro-
mans viii, 29).
Not only must we have a strong
faith combined with fortitude. but we
must also add knowledge" We re-
quired some knowledge of God and Of
our Lord Jesus and Of the Gospel mes
sage before we could come unto the
Lord at all, but the Apostle is not re-
ferring to this, our earliest knowledge.
He is addressing Christians who have
already taken the first steps, He as
sures us that they need knowledge to
enable them to go onward in Christian
development-knowledge in addition to
their faith and fortitude. We have
nothing to say against worldly knowl-
edge. scientific knowledge. etc.. when
these do not cross or interfere with
the Divine Revelation. but we are con-
fident that the Apostle did not intend
to refer to worldly knowledge, but to
the greatest of all scientific knowledge
the knowledge Of God.
How shall we know God? BY study
Of his character. Our Lord Jesus it
was who declared. This is life eternal.
that they might En0p thee, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ. whom thou
hast sent John xvii. 81. This knowl-
edge at the present time is secret
knowledge and, as the Apostle says. a
hidden. mystery" which can be known
only by those who put themselves into
q certain attitude of heart and mind
and conduct toward the Lord and his
revelation. We are to study Gods
characterize learn respecting his JUS
tice, his Wisdom. his Love and his
Power. by studying his revelation-the
Bible. In it we see his dealings past.
and his promises respecting his deal
ings future. And a correct apprecia-
tion Of these gives us knowledge of
Gods character as exemplified therein.
But since this knowledge is not stated
in terms for the world to understand.
1t follows that only those in proper
condition of heart and enlightened by
the holy Spirit can receive this knowl-
edge. 1t is taught only to the pupils in
the School Of Christ. THE secret of
the Lord is with them that fear him;
and he will show them his Covenant
Other Graces to Be Added.
The Apostle continues his advice as
to things necessary to be added by
those who would make their calling
and election sure. They must keep
adding, and the adding must be little
by little and day by day. The knowI-
edge we gain Of God through his Wo'd
should lead us to greater moderation
translated. temperance, in our common
version). Let your moderation be
known unto all men" philippians iy.
81, moderation or balance in thought.
in word. in action. Gods people may
be called extremists by those who are
not begotten of the holy Spirit and who
know not 1.-The mystery" But even
they should be able to charge insnlod-
GRAFTON only ON the one score-our i'm
moderation, our faithfulness to the
Word Of the Lord and to our Covenant
Of self sacrifice as followers in the
footsteps of Jesus. Our lives should
be so moderate as respects business
and pleasure and food and raiment.
ETC., that we should be examples OF
wisdom and moderation to all-extrem-
lists only along the same lines that
Jesus and the Apostles were counted
extremists by those who knew not, nei-
ther did understand 1.-The mystery" of
their endeavor to be of ''the very elect
Patience must not be forgotten. In
addition to moderation, LET patience
have her perfect work, that ye may
be perfect and entire, wanting moth
ing" Next add godlikeness-generai
goodness, benevolence, benignity to-
ward ALL Add next brotherly kind
ness-in the natural family relations
ship, and also in the spiritual family,
the Church. Love as brethren"
fought to lovel I'VE ought also to
lay down our lives for the brethren"
Still further the Apostle urges that
while all Of the foregoing are elements
of love we superadd lore itself in the
fullest sense toward the Lord, toward
the brethren, toward humanity, to-
ward the brute creation and toward
our enemies. While all of these can
not be loved in the same degree, all
should profit by the spirit Of love in
our hearts for all.
"Ye Shall Never Fail"
Now comes the climax of the advice
to those seeking to make their calling
and election sure verse 81. If these
things be in you and abound, they
make you that ye shall neither be bar
ren nor unfruitfuI in the knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ" And then
as our text declares, Ii these things
abound and if we give diligence to the
making sure Of our calling and elec-
ton and do these things, we shall
never faiI-we shall in no case fail
of securing our election. God seeketh
such for joint-heirship with their Re-
deemcr in the Kingdom. God seek
eth such to worship him as worship
him in spirit and in TRUTH"
The grand consummation Of our
election-our Kingdom honors and
glories-is specifically referred to by
St. Peter in the next verse, saying,
For so an entrance shall be minis
tered unto you abundantly into the
everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ" Ii, dear Breth-
rem. we believe these things. let US
permit them to control our lives-our
words. our deeds and our thoughts.
Surely we can well afford to be con-
sidered foolish along lines of the sac
rifice Of earthly interests. II thereby
we can develop the character which
our LORD desires and prove ourselves
worthy of share IN his Kingdom