The Up-to-Date Christian by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 23, 1909

The Up-to-Date Christian

By F. M. W.

THE Christian should have an up-to-date experience. He can not afford to live in the past, nor to depend upon old-time experiences. Such experiences may be recalled to strengthen faith, but fresh blessings are needed to meet present, living issues.

An up-to-date Christian lives in the consciousness of daily divine acceptance. This he can do only by daily communion with God, by daily confession of sin, by daily surrender and consecration. There are many professed Christians whose sins are not forgiven up to date, and they are not forgiven because they are not confessed up to date. Every day should see an acknowledgment of every error and a righting of every wrong. This will prevent the holding of a grudge, the cherishing of envy, malice, and suspicion.

It is said that in the experiences of William Carey and his colaborers, while working under the trying climatic conditions of Bengal, one day of every week was set apart as a day of righting up things in the mission family. Wrongs were confessed, forgiveness sought, and a new start was made for the week to

come. This perhaps accounts in some measure for the great work done by these missionary pioneers.

A living communion with God can not be maintained through dependence upon public prayer. Alone with God, each child must open his heart to divine influences, and receive strength and courage for personal conflict. Here is where many fail. Some in our schools and institutions depend upon the prayers at chapel exercises. Some in families depend upon the prayers at the family altar. These are all blessed means of grace, but above these the value of daily personal devotion stands paramount.

The up-to-date Christian will partake daily of the spiritual food God has provided in the Scriptures. He may teach the word to others, but first of all he must study the Word for himself, and listen, while he studies, to hear God speaking to his own soul. Sweet will be the communion, when, shut in with God, he listens to his Word as a message to his own heart.

The up-to-date Christian will be a working Christian. He will not rest content with what he has accomplished. He will crave new and living experiences, and his heart will reach out with longing desire for others that they may partake of the same heavenly manna. In his own home, in his neighborhood, in the church, in the great wide world, he will find many saddened lives and grieving hearts, who need the sympathetic touch of human kindness to lighten their burdens, and a star of hope to point their way to God.

This experience is not a theory; it is the living, practical experience of every one who has come to abide in him. May it become in its fulness, the experience of both writer and reader.

F. M. W.