Words of Encouragement.
By I. G. Camp
I FEEL like speaking a few words of encouragement to those who, like myself, feel that they are weak, and can do but little or nothing for God and his precious cause. He does not require us to work in our own strength, but to be strong in him and in the power of his might. How are we to become strong? Is it by sitting down in discouragement, and looking at our own sins and short-comings? Oh! no; we have tried this long enough, while we, and all around us, are perishing. Let us arise, go to work for God and for the salvation of our fellow-men, and then we may feel our weakness, and our need of help from him to enable us to win souls to a saving knowledge of the truth. How many of us felt when we were at our precious camp-meeting that we must arise and consecrate ourselves anew to God, to labor in earnest to overcome all our wrongs, and for the advancement of the truth? And have we, dear brethren and sisters, humbled ourselves before God, and gone to work in earnest to save souls, trusting in God for grace and strength? Some of us, perhaps, can do but little besides having7our daily walk and conversation such as becometh the gospel of Christ. But we can pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into his harvest; for truly the harvest is great, but the laborers are few. And, too, if we are fully consecrated to God, we can help those who are already in the field, and those whose duty it is to start out to labor for souls. May God help us each to come up to our high calling. I never loved the law of God as I do now. I delight to read the 119th psalm, in which David, the servant of the Lord, expresses so much love for the commandments and statutes of the Lord. He esteemed them above much fine gold. I have just been reading the soul-stirring account of the California Camp-meeting. I have read it over and over again, and the tears will flow every time. It seems so blessed to read of the powerful manifestation of the Spirit of God to his poor, unworthy children. I hope we all shall duly appreciate his blessings, be more humble, and more earnestly seek for righteousness and meekness. I. G. CAMP.