I Wish They Had Been to the Meeting?
By Chas. B. Reynolds
“I do wish they had been to the meeting. I feel sure they could not have resisted the truth!” How many expressed, how many more felt, this at the camp-meeting last year, when thinking of relatives and friends at home who opposed or doubted present truth. Why were they absent? Did we use every effort to induce them to understand they would not be regarded as intruders, but welcome guests? Did we offer, regardless of inconvenience to self, to help in their business matters, so far as in our power, to open the way for them to go? Were there none in our neighborhood too lowly for our care, yet who evinced sincere love of Christ, striving to live up to the light they have received, who desired to be present, but whom a lack of means alone prevented? Did we offer of our means, the means our Heavenly Father entrusted to our care for the advancement of his cause, as faithful stewards? or did we selfishly neglect to do so, on account of some imagined need of our own? If so, are we not responsible before God? Will not their blood be required at our hands? If any one stayed away whom we could have influenced or aided to go, will not the Master hold us to strict accountability for duty neglected? The yearly camp-meetings are a much needed and blessed means of grace, affording opportunity for re-consecration, more full and complete self-abnegation, more entire surrender of all to God: but they are not the less a means of grace, all powerful under the blessing of God for the conversion of sinners, and the dispelling of skepticism in regard to the truths of the third angel’s message. Many will have to make considerable sacrifices to attend the camp-meetings this season; but let us trust in the Lord. His promises are sure. If we go, not to gratify any selfish, worldly desires, but to draw nearer to God, to plead for strength and a deeper work of grace, for help to live more pure and holy lives, to endeavor to get in such a position that the Lord can accept us, and fit us to be instrumental in bringing others to the glorious light of truth, then God will bless the meeting to us, and we shall be helped to make more rapid progress in the great work of preparation so much needed to fit us for our Eden home. Then, it will prove a means of great advancement on our journey Zionward. Will not the seeming sacrifices be really a vast and wondrous gain? Shall we prefer the things of this world, to the Master’s service? Is it not written, “Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him”? Shall we follow the sad example of the young man, and, while professing to keep the commandments of God, turn sorrowfully away from the light, and the unspeakable treasures of Heaven? refusing the loving invitations, the joy and peace of love and faith in Jesus, because of our possessions! preferring the fleeting, perishing dross of this soon-to-be-destroyed, sin-polluted earth? Oh! think of it! Jesus loves us. He would have us prove the sincerity of our profession. He gave up all, the joys of Heaven, his Father’s presence, the company and homage of the pure and holy angels. He came to earth, suffered and died that we might live. And shall we make no sacrifice? Shall empty words alone be our offering? Shall we give only that which we need not? Or shall we more wisely prefer a treasure in Heaven, and joyfully parting with that which is a hindrance to our service, take up our cross and follow Jesus? Let us imitate the example of Moses, who esteemed “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” Dear brethren and sisters, let us each and every one carry this matter to God, praying for strength to conquer our love for the perishing things of this world, seeking for grace to prove that our love is of the heart, and not empty words upon the lips, and to crucify the flesh. Let us not be content, though at great pecuniary loss, with going ourselves and taking our own loved ones to the meeting: but let us go to work earnestly to induce others to go, and take at least one unconverted one with us to the meeting. And let us not rest with simply carrying them to the meeting, but in continued, earnest prayer to God, carry them in the arms of our faith to the foot of the cross, believing that God will bless and reward the self-sacrifice by converting them to the truth; that they may have cause to bless us while on earth, and in the soon-coming day of our reward, become stars in the crown of our rejoicing. We shall then feel that we have not lived in vain, that our stewardship at least in this has been faithful, and we may hope to hear the blessed words, “Well done good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”