Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1914-07-22

witness the words
in Thess. 1:9, 10, "ye turned to God
from idols to serve the living and true
God: and to wait for his son from
heaven"
II. The difficulty of watching R
illustrated In the drowsiness OF the
disciples in Gethsemane-"What. could
ye not watch with me one hour!
Matt. 26:40). The spirit was willing
but the flesh was weak. A condition
of things quite as likely in the region
of spiritual truth. if one may judge
by the frequent appeals 20 Christians
TO awake out of sleep, see Ephes.
5:14: Rom. 1871, 12: Cor. 1874;
4 Thess. 5:6. There are few of US
who are not aware of this from actual
experience, alasi AS in the physical
so in the spiritual sense. the longer
we have to watch the more difficult
a task II becomes.
III. The danger Of not watching Is
seen In our Lords warning to the
church at Sardis-"If therefore thou
shalt not watch, will come to thee
as a thief" (Rev 3:3D The thief
.cometh not but for to steal, and to
kill. and to destroy" John 1o:1O.
This last figure is partly interpreted
by another in which Christ says:
But and II that evil servant shall say
in his heart, my Lord delayeth his
coming; and shall begin to smite his
fellow servants. and to eat and drink
with tho drunken; the Lord OF tnat
servant shall come in day when he
looketh not for him. and in an hour
that he Is not aware Of. and shall cut
him asunder, and appoint him his por-
ton with the hypocrites: there shall
be weeping and gnashing Of teeth"
Matt 24:4S-5D.
w. The accompanimepts of watch
ing are:
G) Prayer MARX 13:30-To pray
Alright Is to watch. but surely he is
not watching who is not praying!
Hence men ought always to pray
(Luke 1871. Not that we must ever
be in the external attitude OF prayer.
as when the Pharisees loved to pray
standing at the corners of the streets.
but that our inward habit should be
one of daily communion with God, for
he heareth us always.
(2) Service-'loins girded about
duke 12:35). See l Kings 1916,
Prov. 31:17, 1S. f is the slothtul
servant who Is not watching. The
busy servant may not have the partic-
ular thought of his Lords return mo-
mentarily present to his mind. but it
is nevertheless the underlying motive
OF his activity.
(s) Testimony-"your lights burn
Eng" duke 12:39. He who is watch
ing for his Lords return is speaking
of it, witnessing for him. "Ye shine
as lights in the world; holding forth
the word of life" phil. 2:15. l6) that
others may see the way Of life.
". The rewards OF watching are:
(1) Escape from danger-"Watch ye
therefore that ye may be ac-
counted worthy to escape all these
things that shall come to pass" (Luke
21:36). Compare the context and the
parallel passages with II Thess. 1:5-s.
(2) Bestowal Of divine honor
blessed are those servants. whom the
Lord when he cometh shall f1nd watch
ing: verify l say unto you. that he
shall grid himself, and make them to
ait down to meat, and will come forth
and serve them" duke 12:3D. It Is,
Of course, impossible to apprehend the
meaning of this promised felicity
lIsaiah $40; we simply know that
our Lords language implies an e1al
tation beyond our highest thought.
60 Increase of power and opportu-
nifty. Who then Is a faithful and
wise servant, whom his Lord hath
made ruler over his household, to s.ve
them meat in due season? Blessed is
that servant, whom his Lord when
he cometh shall find so doing"
All hail. the Coming Son Of God.
He's Coming back again.
He's Coming In the Clouds OF heaven.
He's Coming back again TO reign!
Sinners whose sins are washed away,
Nor left single stain.
Go. hall. the Advent Of your Lord.
He's Coming back to reign!
Let every kindred. every tribe.
Free Of Creations pain.
Aloud Acclaim His Welcome back,
He's Coming back to reign!
All! soon win all the ransomed throng.
Beholding Him once slain.
Wen see the rolling cloud, and shout
He's Coming back to reign!