Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-05-07

Our Redeemer might nate consum-
manIty from sin and death back 10 all
that was lost aud which he redeemed
by his own sacrifice. But God had a
higher and grander message which
would still further Illustrate the length
and breadth and height and depth OF
his justice. wisdom. love and power
This plan. which God Is pursuing. calls
from among the redeemed race those
who have hearts hungry and thirsty
for righteousness and harmony with
God By various processes these are
"called" and chosen" instructed and
tested and made ready as the members
of Christ. Gods jewels. They are
promised close relationship with
their Lord I'm the future. represented
by the picture OF bride and queen i'm
relation to the King of Glory. Ii Is TO
these. after they have believed that
the Lord makes known his gracious
purposes. Such OF them as respond
with zeal have the Apostles exhorta-
ton TO take upon them q Vow OF full
conservation to the Lord unto death.
and then TO live up TO the terms of
that Vow to the best of their ability
until the close OF life.
This Vow, unlike the other we sug-
gested. is not to themselves, not to
other men or congregations, lodges or
societies. but TO God only. While II is
true that the Vow to the Lord will not
end our responsibilities, but merely be-
gin them. It Is also true that we can
not come into relationship with the
Lord at all, except 10y making con
secration Vow. 1t is the Vow In ad-
vance that the Lord accepts and re-
spends to by the begetting of the holy
Spirit. Whoever, therefore, has failed
TO Vow unto the Lord with consecra-
ton has failed to be begotten Of the
holy Spirit and will have no share
with the Church's glory. He may not
have called IL u Vow. he may not have
called IL conservation, he may not have
called 1t anything: but the Vow Of con-
secratiOn must. nevertheless, have
been his-uttered or unexpressed. be-
fore he could become member OF
Gods Spiritual family.
Thus our Lords Vow Of conservation
was expressed In the words, 10, |
have come, as In the volume OF the
Book 1t is written OF me-to do thy
will, o God The will of the Father
was that our Lord Jesus should have
the opportunity OF presenting himself
living sacrifice on mans behalf. Our
Lord accepted this and his acceptance
was his conservation Vow of obedi.
ence, even unto death. even the death
of the cross.
Bind the Sacrifice With Cords.
Our original Conservation Vow, even
If carefully made. we found to be but
an imperfect one because OF our i'm.
perfect knowledge OF the trials and re-
sponsihilities and difficulties and the
Lords requirements. We found need
for new Vows covering new features
or guarding newly discovered weak.
nesses. Such Vows we made for our
own assistance, although Il might be
said that everything possible was in.
Guided In our original Vow Those
who follow this course bind their sac
rifices the more firmly and the more
closely 10 the altar OF sacrifice and
correspondingly are assisted In the
narrow way and in maintaining them.
| selves In the love OF God.
In conclusion. then, let us not Vow
hastily. but soberly, wisely. Let us
bring ourselves under all reasonable
restraints of thought and word and
action restraints to God and not to
men or creeds. So doing. undoubtedly
our cup OF blessing will more and more
overflow.