Christian Boldness

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Jun 18, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 24.

Christian Boldness.

Personal fear or dislike to produce a commotion will cause many to permit an evil which, taken at the start, might be readily overcome. Worldliness in many forms enters, and godly people are silent until, used to the incongruity, they become actual abettors of the evil. We must remember that there is always in operation a tendency to bring down the church to a low, earthly level, and that every Christian must be a positive upholder of spirituality to counteract this tendency. This will require boldness, for such counteraction implies collision, and that often with those who ought to be friends. It often may array a house against itself, one's own blood assailing one's godly efforts with ridicule or severer opposition. We must be prepared for that. In the world we must have tribulation. We cannot keep the church in a spiritual sphere without this struggle with the carnalizing elements about us. And this struggle will never be in vain. God is in it. He will give the victory. He will make the opposition praise him. Our bruises will be the church's profit and progress. We can afford to bear them with such gain. This boldness is not to be confounded with rudeness and presumption, which are the characteristics of "cranks" and hypocrites. It is a boldness which is persistent, and yet modest; outspoken, but not self-seeking; firm, but regardful of all the proprieties of life; meeting assault not by vituperation, but by calm resolution and faithful testimony to the truth.—Half Hours with the Lessons.