Forsaking All by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 7, 1910

Forsaking All

By F. M. W.

THE spirit of centralization and self-centered interest is entirely foreign to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Heaven gave its choicest gift for the salvation of man, and in giving its best and greatest it gave its all. With the spirit of the gospel possessing the heart of the disciple, this same principle will be revealed in his life.

When once the completeness of the sacrifice of Christ is appreciated in its fulness, when once the sweetness of the gospel is experienced in the life of the believer, there will be no selfish withholding. Hoarded means will not be found among the believers; the question of chief concern will not be the service of self, but how fully may the interest of the cause of Christ be served and advanced. This recognition will beget a spirit of self-forgetfulness and self-sacrifice. It will lead to simplicity of life and simplicity of living.

How much of the Lord’s money is squandered to-day by his professed followers in ways and means not only useless, but positively harmful as well? What can we say of the money spent for unnecessary house furnishings, for unnecessary wearing apparel, for storybooks

and magazines whose influence is positively detrimental to the reader, for cheap, popular music, for photographs, for candy, and soda-water, and scores of other things which might be enumerated? Truly, one who feels the fire of missionary spirit burning in his heart, and who truly recognizes his duty to a lost world, can not thus spend the means entrusted to him.

If this people would but bind about some of their supposed wants, there would be no dearth of means in the Lord’s treasury. If they would only give that which they could conveniently dispense with without sacrifice to the point of actual need, our mission treasury would be full to overflowing. This spirit of simple living will sometime take possession of this people.

There will come a day when with those who truly devote their all to this movement, costly and extravagant living will give place to simplicity and economy.

When this spirit of consecration possesses both ministers and people, when in fact as well as in name, all that each possesses is placed upon the altar of service, then will come the day of power and refreshing to the church of God. It is this spirit of consecration and of complete surrender which will spiritualize the ministry, energize the church, and bring the power of God into this movement.

F. M. W.