VIRGINIA T. AND M. SOCIETY.
By Robert Sawyer
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS IN EAST AND WEST VIRGINIA: In a few days our tract society quarterly meeting at Soliloquy, Shenandoah Co., East Va., will be held. Are you doing all you can to get ready for that time? Will you be there? And if you cannot be there, will you send your report? This report is made up by doing something for the Master (doing errands for Jesus) every day. Seek the Lord anew every morning. In the language of the psalmist pray, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Ps. 51:10–14. Feel the worth of souls, and act, realizing that “they that sow in tears shall reap in joy;” and that “he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” In 2 Cor. 6:1–11, we are besought to approve ourselves as workers with Christ in and by certain things. Brethren, please read these verses, and now commence the work anew. Is there not some family you can visit, and talk and pray with its inmates, or minister to the afflicted ones? Isa. 58:6–11. Is there not some one, or even many, to whom postal cards or letters can be written, calling their attention to the all-important subject of their soul’s salvation? Are you laying by in store as God has prospered you, to help forward the cause? and are you teaching your children to do the same? This duty should be as sacred as the observance of the Sabbath. The Lord gives us six days, and reserves one for himself; so he gives us nine-tenths, and claims one-tenth as his. And in view of the great gift of his Son to die for us, we should have cheerful obedience in our hearts to him. Since our last meeting, how many opportunities of placing a tract or paper in the hands of those who would read it have you let slip? Are you educating your mind to keep an account of what you do? You can soon form the habit of noting down at night, if not through the day, the number of pages you have loaned, sold, or given away. We seldom forget the debts due us from others, because our minds have been exercised in this direction; so let us train ourselves to work in the army of the Lord. Do not neglect the Sabbath-school work. Officers, teachers, and parents, enter wholeheartedly into this all-important duty. See Deut. 6:5–10. I would suggest that each church get several copies of Spiritual Gifts, vols. 1–4, the bound volume of Biblical Institute, etc., to loan to those in the church not able to buy, and to those who are isolated and have not the privilege of attending meetings often. I can say of the Testimonies and Spiritual Gifts, They are a source of strength, and lead our minds to, and not from, the Bible. Dear brethren, let us not be weary in well doing; for we shall reap in due season, if we faint not. Read Gal. 6.