Present, Practical, Personal Gospel
By A. J. Harris
“GREAT peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Ps. 119: 165. Prominent in this text is the expression that “nothing shall offend them.” Without this characteristic in the life, the present, practical, personal gospel would be a failure. The attribute mentioned in the text lies within reach of every soul upon the earth. One requirement only is demanded; namely, to love the law. This is acquired simply by allowing the Author of the new covenant to write it in the heart. This law written in the heart promotes action along with the prose word spoken. Of the medical missionary work as “practiced gospel,” we were only recently told by the spirit of prophecy that “by the ministry of the word the gospel is preached: by medical missionary work the gospel is practiced.” This gospel is not confined alone to the preacher, the doctor, or the nurse. To do so would limit its scope, power, and effect; for Paul says “it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth,” and in Matt. 10: 7, 8, the command, given not merely to titled preachers, or skilled physicians, or trained nurses, but to all disciples is: “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” When the Saviour went away, he committed to every believer the work of reconciliation, the gospel; and I am persuaded that the home is the first field of labor; for in its neglected sphere lies the primary evils that have made practical gospel work so necessary at this time. To speak a kind word is as essential as to do a kind act. Proper discipline and teaching at home prepare the way for a good Sabbath-school, a good church school, a good church; and especially for good behavior in the house of God. A few practical illustrations will suffice here. A well-behaved child will speak to the observer of the home training. A child trained in the home to observe family worship will not sit stolid in his chair while prayer is being offered at the church; neither will he remain in that position while the songs of praise are being offered. And this same rule will apply in all the walks of life. Paul speaks about giving offense, thus: “Giving no offense in anything, that the ministry be not blamed.” 2 Cor. 6: 1-10. As surely as the love of God’s law protects us from becoming offended, so surely will it protect us from giving offense. A well-trained mind in the home, will not be forgetful at the house of God. If God dwells in the home by daily invitation, that home will be a sacred home, made so by his presence. How much more is the house of God a sacred place! If this could be realized, even in a small degree, the familiar scenes so carelessly indulged in would immediately cease. The habit (for it is nothing more) of going out and in, and to and fro, during the service, is seen in many places. This is not always due to sickness, or an irregularity of the system, but more often to the state of the mind, to the effects of early training. Why should not every parent, and officer of the church, rally to the defeat of the enemy in this great evil? But another offense that would shock the sense of the darkest heathen is many times passed by without protest. We see placards all along the streets, in street cars, railroad trains, at every public station: “No Spitting on the Floor. The offender, if found, will be prosecuted.” If this pernicious thing is an offense to man, especially a well-bred man, what must it be to the Master, in his own house, where he has appointed to meet his people? How many mothers would take pains to invite into their homes a second time a person who would deliberately spit on the floor, or tear up slips of paper and scatter them around, or take out his knife and cut the books or chairs, or cut sticks and scatter them, or perhaps pick up a book and break back the cover or tear out a leaf or two, or a part of a leaf? Yet this is done in God’s house, and with God’s property. Loud talking and visiting is a common occurrence. The standard of conduct is down, trailing in the dust. Compare this state of things with Isa. 58: 13, 14: “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Children sent to church, or brought there, are allowed to wander around outside during the hour of service. At the tabernacle services anciently, during the hour of service when the priest was officiating, every soul was in the attitude of worship. Should it be less so now in this closing hour of time? Is it not time to call a halt, and all rally to the support of practical Christianity in deportment, searching our hearts first, and then our homes, carrying it into the house of God? Then shall no man offend his brother, and especially the blessed Saviour. Father, mother, brother, sister, children, shall we not band ourselves together into a vigilance committee, and see that offenses of the class spoken of shall forever be suppressed? And let this be our first step toward the present, practical, personal gospel.