p. 122 | A. T. J by Alonzo T. Jones

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 25, 1886

A. T. J

By Alonzo T. Jones

CHRIST said: “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63); and, “By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God,” shall man live. And when he sends forth men to preach, the commission is, “Go ye, . . . and teach all nations. . . . Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the

world.”

It is true, that if the word of God be preached faithfully there will be many points wherein the people will be found to be doing wrong; many things will be found held contrary to the word of God; and things even which our fathers did not do, shall we have to do, as it happened at the time of which this lesson tells. It will be found that the coming of the Lord is near, and that we must prepare to meet him while living. It will be found that future life depends on the resurrection of the dead, and not on the immortality of the soul. It will be found that future life is obtained through the Son of God alone; that he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. It will be found that the seventh day, and not the first day of the week, is the Sabbath of the Lord, and that we must keep it so, or our action will not be Sabbath-keeping at all. And when we find out these things, and many others in which we have thought and done wrong, we must be like this people of old, honest enough with God and ourselves to turn from our ways and thoughts and conform to those of the word of God. See Neh. 8:13-17. Then it will be with us as was said to them, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”