“All that the Lord Hath Said Will We Do, and Be Obedient. Ex. 24: 7.”
By N. Orcutt
THIS is an excellent example for our imitation—an excellent motto. It is all important while we labor to advance the interest of the cause of present truth, that the effort be in harmony with the mind and Spirit of God, that we conform to his plan, that we speak the right word, at the right time, in the right place, that we do our duty, always, when and where he would have us. The same is true with regard to the development of individual character. Perhaps we may consider with profit a familiar illustration. The frame of a building is ready to raise, the master builder being absent. The principal timbers are marked, the help for the work is on the ground. Several men get one of the timbers designed for a plate, and attempt to put it in place of the front sill. Others upon the other side are attempting to use the ridge-pole. The timbers are of the right length, but they do not fit. Still others, at one end, are striving to use one of the posts in place of the end sill. Like the two former, the mortises are not in the right place, and this is not the only difficulty. It is too short by several feet. It is evident that they will never succeed in this way. But just as they conclude to cease their efforts, and some are heard declaring that no one can tell where these timbers belong, and others are denouncing the master mechanic, and questioning his capacity, he returns. He calls their attention to the marks (which they had not observed), indicating the place which the timbers were severally designed to occupy, and assures them, that if guided by them in their work, they will have no difficulty. And so it proves. Every stick is of the right length, every mortise in the right place, every joint perfect, and the result is a strong frame eminently fitted for the purpose for which it was designed. (For examples illustrating this principle, see 1 Sam. 15:1-23, and Josh. 6:1-20.) It would seem that these men must learn by this experience, the folly of attempting to substitute a post, or plate, or ridge-pole, for one of the sills in a frame, and also the injustice of condemning the architect, when his work was perfect in design and execution, and the failure was their own fault, in not working in harmony with that design. The result will be still more deplorable, if the work of preparing the material be planned and marked out, and then entrusted to workmen who carelessly or willfully fail to carry out the plan—they make a tenon where a mortise was marked, a mortise instead of a tenon. Thus the material is hopelessly and irretrievably ruined. So it is in the work of preparing the material for that spiritual temple that is ere long to be reared without the sound of ax or hammer, whether considered with reference to the effort put forth for ourselves, or for the benefit of others. The work is all laid out. The design of the great architect is perfect. To work in harmony with his plan will ensure success every time. Any effort otherwise put forth will mar the work and lead to sad results. Any deviation from that plan will be a mistake which it will cost time and labor to correct, and may result in utter ruin. He who planned our work designed that we should get very near to those whom we would benefit, as near as is consistent with a kind yet firm adherence to the truth. He would not have us compromise one of those principles that underlie and enter into the structure that, partly through our instrumentality, he designs to rear. Still he would have us so work that we may exert a gathering influence. He would have us speak the truth in love, and manifest that unselfish, disinterested benevolence which characterized the spotless life of his only begotten Son, that those for whom we labor may feel that we desire to do them good. Faithfulness, plainness in rebuking and reproving wrong, mark the record of his labors. But what love, what meekness, what self-abnegation, that record also shows! Oh! that the remnant might have wisdom and grace to imitate that spotless example, that, working in harmony with his purpose, the blessing of God might attend their labors, and his work prosper in their hands. And, in the development of individual character, we must adhere to the same principles—must work by the same rule. The line is drawn, and we must submit to be scored and hewed to it. In God’s own way, according to his plan, we must submit to be straightened and smoothed. And in God’s own order the work must go on—first the line, then the scoring, then the hewing, then the smoothing. His perfect law, if we work in harmony with his plan, will accomplish this great work. How plainly Peter has marked out the details of that plan, and given us the rule: “Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” 2 Pet. 1:5-7. Faith is the foundation upon which we must build. We must have that first. “Without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Heb. 11:6. Then the addition of virtue (“conformity of life and conversation to the moral law”—Webster.) before knowledge is in harmony with the testimony of other inspired writers; this is God’s plan. Instance the desire of Paul that his brethren “might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Col. 1:9, 10. Also, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of63the Spirit of God; . . . neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. 2:14. And again the testimony of the Saviour, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself.” John 7:17. And temperance (in all things) before patience. Who ever saw patience the leading, crowning characteristic of the intemperate man or woman? We see it manifested only in proportion to our approximation to conformity to this rule. Faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, are the steps by which we attain unto godliness (godlikeness). It would be absurd to speak of the latter without, or as preceding, the former. Without the development of all these, we are not prepared to exercise the next—brotherly kindness—to be so divested of selfishness that we can love our neighbor as ourselves, do unto others as we would have them do unto us. It is also true that we must add, in this order, these graces of the Spirit before we can manifest, in its fullness, that crowning excellence, charity, or love, that love to God and charity for, and love toward, our fellows that is requisite to make us “meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” May we so learn the will of God, so labor in harmony with his purpose—his plan, that we may never fall, and an entrance be ministered unto us abundantly “into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”