p. 1 | Editorial by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 19, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 32.

Editorial.

By Editor

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable."—2 Tim. 3:16.

"WHAT is the applause of others, if our own hearts deride us?"

IT is not a spasmodic faith or submission which develops Christian character; it is the constant abiding trust in God. The one may bring forgiveness, for God is ever merciful; but the other puts Christ into the character. Let the prayer be, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a constant spirit within me." Ps. 51: 10, margin.

POWER comes through life. He who would have additional power must have additional life. Christ is the only one who ever walked the earth having complete and perfect power over sin, and the result of sin,—death. His power was by virtue of the life, or Spirit of God, within him. If we would have such power we must have his life; and Jesus died that we might have the "power of the endless life" which is in him.

COMPROMISES are the order of the day. They are good many times in business; they are good many times in the cause of God. But there never comes a time in the experience of Christians or Christian corporations when they can afford for one moment to compromise an iota of truth or justice or honor for aught that the world can give or that seems promised by the compromise. There are methods of work, there are ways of propagating the gospel, when compromises may be made between men of decidedly different opinions without affecting honor, truth, or justice, even though selfish dignity be brought down. Here the Christian should be willing to compromise. But where the honor, the integrity, the purity, or the principles of God or his cause are at stake, never. Compromise in the one case is disloyalty to God; in the other it is "submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."

OH, the preciousness there is in the gospel of Jesus Christ! Not in its mere contemplation is the preciousness, not in mere assent to its glorious doctrine and blessed facts; for we may famish while gazing upon the most nourishing food, we may drown while looking upon the lifeboat launched to save us. The value of the lifeboat to us is in its use; the blessing of the food comes through eating and assimilation; and so the preciousness of the gospel comes through partaking of the grace of the gospel. It comes by believing Christ, submitting to Christ, doing as Christ commands, walking where we cannot see, trusting where we cannot trace. It is the completeness of submission which brings the fullness of joy. "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in him!"