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A Short Sermon

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 19, 1915

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 41.

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A Short Sermon

By H. A. ST. JOHN

Oil the Church

H. A. ST. JOHN
“Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Heb. 1:9.
In a dream I was in the midst of a large company of ministers of the remnant church. All were intensely interested in discussing different methods to be used in arousing a lukewarm church to the importance of giving quickly the last gospel message. It seemed that no union of sentiment would prevail. Suddenly there came a voice from heaven, uttering with startling distinctness the three words, “Oil the church.”
I was awakened at once, and began to study the meaning of the startling command. I was not long in perceiving its significance, and also its primary importance. The oil is the Holy Spirit. Jesus was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. He was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, and went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. The angels told the shepherds that the news of the birth of Christ was good tidings of great joy to all people. If the angels and all heaven were so rejoiced at the birth of a Saviour for man, how much greater should be the joy of lost and sinful men! Our adorable Redeemer is made the chief dispenser of unbounded and unending gladness to a lost world. We can faintly see how he is indeed anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. By the Holy Spirit we are made partakers of that gladness even now; and if we follow on to know the Lord, our gladness will increase and abound more and more, even to all eternity.
What the church needs, first of all, and most of all, is to be anointed with the oil of power and gladness; then all other needs will be quickly supplied, and all other blessings will follow in its train. Then there will be great eagerness and joy in telling others about that which brings such great joy. The good news of the soon coming of the King of glory to take his children to their paradise home would very soon be preached and sung among all nations, and then the end would come.
Sanitarium, Cal.