Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1912-05-29

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conflict Of reason
ing and excuse
making, all of which silently but
surely test the sohd1u of the hearts
conservation.
You may ash After all why should
this question trouble ame, / have no
osll?" Have you forgotten that when
you accepted Christ this was inciud-
ed among the items for your constd-
eration9 You have passed 1t by. If,
In the church whers you are a msm-
Der a notice was read from the pull.
pit inviting every member to attend
social the following evening, would
you be foolish enough to afterward
Insist that you had received no In
yitation and refuse to attend2 The
opposite would be the rule, for any
candidate for membership, expecting
10 unite Boen, would expect such a
purpose sufficient ground to entitle
him to be present, Thus your church
membership and mine involves our
responoe to the call of the Great
| Commission.
The plan of God for appointing and
directing the work Of his children Is
most natural one. When person
Is converted, God would have him
come to the bureau OF divine commits
sions and there receive his appoint
ment for service. one can rghtfuily
excuse himself, for when he accepts
he benefits of the salvation Rf Christ
he thereby obligates himself to obe-
aience In the service of Christ.
God could not have book on earth
containing all the names Of Christians
throughout the age and giving the
life work of each; for our free agency
would then be lost God chose the
better plan: 10 have each child come
TO him IN prayer and talk his life
work over. Do not ASK, and run
AWAY, but tarry until your conviction
has become settled, for It is this d.
vine conviction which constitutes
Gods call. Many vetcommitted spir-
ltual suicide by Fastening away with
some 1mpulsive conclusion before God
had a chance to speak. Such people
have often wondered why they make
shtpwteck in their faith life or why
spiritual things seem closed to them.
It is no mystery. Divine teaching and
guidance are given Only to those who
follow closely the Instruction of the
Teacher m Gods school OF learning.
Deception and delasSn always follow
self-wfil in gaining spiritual things.
Every Christian should therefore def
nftely Present himself before God for
The assignment to hrs. life work. Have
you? Public sentiment, however,
seems 10 hsve laid this responsibility
only upon those who go as mission
aries.
Dare you say thai It is not really
necessary for every Christian to OBJ
tain from God conviction as to what
he should do with his life. The logi-
clan will at once take the words from
your lips and declare It is then not
necessary for any Christian. Wisdom,
like water, floats everything on
level surface. Bring" these false the
ories concerning missionary work be-
tore your better judgment, and &C.
,lesiastica distincttess and privileged
classes will sing to the bottom, leav-
Ing all Christians on an even footing,
ina each responsible before God for
bis share Of the exaAslization of the
world.
Public sentiment has poisoned the
atmosphere with sosmuoh anti-mission-
ary sentiment that many children
have grown up with no little prejudice
against eecoming missionaries. When
4 person dpes go from community
these children see so many tears and
hear so many words Of regret they
leel that going to be a missionary Is a
misfortune. This adds very material
b to the difficulty God encounters in
human wills in trying to secure obe
aience in enough Of his children to
evangelize the world In this senera-
Hon All this prejudice and bitter
ness must be worked out Of the mind,
and a Transformation wrought. before
sympathy and love for the heathen
will be entertained and conviction
Of personal obligation can be posi-.
bic.
Crushing such a conviction Of per
SonaI responsibility to take the Cos
Del to the heathen, Is a spiritual
crime. 1t affects every spiritual
nerve just as girdlihg tree affects
every branch and leaf. The one who
disobeys his can TO the foreign field
ands himself strangely paralyHsd IN