The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1912-10-25

the true one that
we have In mind. So far as the abb
stract question OF service is con-
cerned. one neither loses nor gains
by accepting Christianity Know ye
not" says the apostle Paul, that to
whom We yield yourselves servants to
obey his servants ye are to whom ye
obey, whether of sin unto death or or
obedience unto righteousness" There
may be a change of masters or
change in the character and the re-
wards of service, but so far as serv-
ice itself is concerned there is no
change. When, therefore. one is en-
treated to take Christ's yoke upon
him II Is not as II he had never worn
yoke before, but only question as
to whether he would remain in the
bonds of iniquity or obey one in the
keeping Of whose commands there Is
great reward.
(2) Let us lay emphasis upon
choose" Religion Is a matter OF
choice, for men may serve God or
not as they please. or course he may
compel a man to serve him. but ordi-
narily he does not do this. a man
would be merely a machine II he did.
This liberty Of choice is mans glory
and also his peril. AS Whittier says:
Though God be good. and free be heaven.
No force divine can love compel;
And though the song of sins forgiven
May sound through lowest hell:
The sweet persuasion OF his voice
Respects thy sanctity OF will.
He giveth day: thou hast thy choice
To walk in darkness still.
(3) Let us lay emphasis upon
you" Judge therefore yourselves.
brethren, that we be not judged Of the
Lord" Let every other personality
fade from your consideration and
consciousness, and think only Of your
own solitariness in the Divine pres
ence when Every one Of US shall
give an account Of himself to God"
In every congregation where the gos-
pei Is preached Satan entraps indi-
viduals In the snare OF self-deception
by helping them to lose themselves
In the mass. How Is 1t with your
You may have attended church all
your life and yet never personally.
consciously. definitely and irreversi-
bly, made a choice to serve God
through Jesus Christ. Will you DO
It now?
az Let US lay emphasis on this
day" There is peril In delay. The
young prince, Napoleon. In the Zulu
war was one day riding at the head
OF a squad outside the camp. It was
dangerous position and some one
said: I'VE had better return or we
shall fall into the hands Of the enc
my" oh" said the prince, Let US
stay here ten minutes and drink our
coffee" Before the ten minutes
elapsed the Zufus were upon them
and the prince lost his life. When
his sorrow-stricken mother heard 1t.
she exclaimed: "Ah, that was his
mistake from babyhood; he was ever
pleading for ten minutes more. On
this account I sometimes called him
Mr.. Ten Minutes How many have
lost their souls II not their bodies by
a like procrastination?
What Is Meant by Serving Godf
What. indeed, but to yield our
Wills to him that he may have his
will in US In all things? That will is
revealed In his word. and as we read
and mediate upon It, as II Is preach
ed and expounded unto US In the pow
er OF his Holy Spirit. 1t Is for US to
follow where II leads. His grace ID
promised to enable us to do this.
The first step, however. Is to con-
fess his son Jesus Christ as Saviour
and Lord No man is a soldier until
lie has enlisted, subscribed the oath
and donned the uniform, and so In
the army OF the Lord. he who would
belong to II must comply with SINH
lar conditions. When the countrynen
OF Jesus said to him, What must we
do that we may work the works Of
God?" Jesus answered, This is the
work OF God that ye believe on him
whom he hath sent" To believe on
him Is not merely to admit that he
once lived on this earth and that he
was crucified, and died and rose
again from the dead. The demons
believe this and tremble. But It 10
10 trust him and give ourselves over
to him to be saved, and cleansed
from sin and guided and controlled by
his spirit. II you have never done
this. let me urge you to do 1t now. as
your eyes fall upon these words. This,
for every unsaved soul, is the mean
ing OF Joshua's words. Choose you
49, s.ttl