The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-12-14


~ ~ mSs the following text;
Cast not away
therefore your con-
fidence, which hath great recompense of
reward. Hebrews Y, 80.
Our English word confidence is syn
onym for faith. 1t is very pretty
thought that we should not cast away
our faith, but hold firmly to it and
gain a reward. This thought is eX-
pressed elsewhere in the Scriptures,
but 1t is not the thought of our text.
Here the word confidence more proper
ly signifies assurance or Out-SpOkenneSs,
courageous presentation of a message
not always kindly received. The Apos-
tie is urging the followers of Christ to
be of good courage, or, in the language
of the Savior, that they should not put
their flight under bushe, but on a
candlestick," where it would shine out
for the blessing of men.
There is a practical side to the Cos
pei Everything enjoined upon the fol-
lowers of Christ and all their trying
experiences in life are wisely intended
opment of good. firm, fine texture. 1t
is mistake to think, as some of us
have thought in the past, that it is the
will Of God that we should merely
hear of Christ and give a nominal as
sent to the message of his death as our
Redeemer and turn from outward
forms of sin-and then, contented with
our progress, help others to the same
low standards.
The Father Does the Drawing.
Quite to the contrary. the teachings
Of Jesus and his Apostles ignore the
world as whole and merely seek for
a special class with hearing ears and
appreciative hearts. The Gospel mes
sage set forth in the Bible knows
nothing of the ordinary mission work
of rescuing drunkards and harlots and
the profane. While not refusing pub
licans and harlots 1t did not go about
seeking them. 1t waited for them to
seek for righteousness and, as the
Master said, NO man can come I'M
to me except the Father which sent
me draw him.; land whatsoever cometh
unto me l will in no wise cast OUT
John vi, 81. "A, CO.. AS matter
of fact, those who came to the Mas
ter and those who have been interested
in his message ever since, have not.
in any large proportion, been the rich.
the great, the learned the noble. &C.
cording to the course of this world.
but chiefly the poor. rich in faith to-
ward our God.
Take as an illustration st. Paurs
course when he went to Athens. We
do not find that he started a mission
Sunday School and offered the chill
dren the prospects Of a picnic or a
Sunday School treat, in order to gather
them for half hours talk about moth
ing, ITO keep them off the street"
Neither did he seek out the drunkards
in the slums and establish slum mis-
sion. On the contrary he sought the
ear of the intelligent classes, the think
ing classes irrespective of their wealth
or station. Why? Because he had a
message-a message which children
could not understand; message
which drunkards were incapacitated
from understanding; message which
should appeal, If at all, to the best
people of Athens, whether rich or poor
Have we not had, to a considerable
extent, the wrong idea? Are we wiser
than the Lord and the Apostles and
able to give them pointers as to meth
DDS instead of following their exam.
pie, as we were instructed to do
They proclaimed the Second Coming
of Messiah and the establishment OF
his Kingdom. They preached that the
very object of his Reign of Righteous
ness for thousand years will be the
putting down of sin in its every form
and the lifting up of poor, fallen hui
mainly. They taught that there was
danger of attempting to make prose
lyte and really doing more harm thar
good thereby. They taught that the
special work to which Gods people are
now commissioned as ministers or serv
ants of Christ is the proclaiming OF
the Gospel-''the Good Tidings of the
Kingdom the proclaiming of eter
nal torment nor the attempt to drive
the WOrlu OF IlduklDu from SIN IlrOuSl
fear. They taught that the work OF
this present Age is the selection from
amongst mankind of the Bride class, t.
be Messiah's associates in his King
dom, for the blessing of all the world
1t is this message of the goodness o.
God that our text declares should bC
proclaimed with courage, with bold
ness. with outspokenness.
A Great Fight of Affections.
st. Paul is criticiZing some who haC
for quite a time been Christians an(
who had been granted large opportuni
ties for growth in grace and knowl
edge. He says to these. For the time
ye ought to be teachers. but We neec
that one teach you again which b,
the hrst principles of the doctrine Of
Christ" They had lost the first prin