Editorial by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 17, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 24.

Editorial.

By Editor

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

CHRISTIAN, be not discouraged in missionary work if you do not see the results you wish. There is a difference in soils. In some soils the seeds germinate and produce quickly; in others it sometimes seems as though the first tiny shoot would never appear; but the root is forming, and the plant when grown many times yields marvelously, while that which sprang forth so quickly dies ere it reaches maturity. Let the seed sown be the word of truth. Let the motive behind the sowing be love for souls, love born of the Spirit of God. In such seed sowing we may in confidence leave the result with God, knowing that his word will not return void. You may not see the result here, but labor on, you will see it in eternity.

THE way man may regard a doctrine does not determine its standing in God’s sight. Some of the greatest errors have been the most largely received by mankind. In fact, the majorities have as a rule been on the wrong side of every question of moral reform. But the fact that the majority is opposed to the right releases no individual from doing the right. The admonition, “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil,” is as timely in these days of spiritual declension as when first spoken to the children of Israel. The man of God is the man of principle—of principle to do the right at whatever the cost, relying alone upon the God of right for sympathy and support. Such men were Joshua and Caleb, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Silas. Such may we be by standing in God’s strength for the truth and righteousness of Christ our Saviour to-day.

As a man “thinketh in his heart, so is he” is a truth expressed in Prov. 23:7. Jesus voiced the same thought when he said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” The good things come from the good treasure of the heart, the evil things from the evil treasure. See Matt. 12:33-35. It is very important, therefore, to think right. It will not do to think that we think right, or to think that we do not think wrong. We must think right. It does not make a counterfeit bill genuine sincerely to believe it to be genuine; nor does it make a genuine bill counterfeit to believe it, however sincerely, to be counterfeit. A road will not lead us south if we travel north, even though we sincerely believe we are traveling south. And a million voices affirming that we were traveling south would not alter the fact that we were going in the opposite direction. We must know that we think right, that the bill is genuine, that we have the right road and the right direction. Our only standard, our only detector, our only guide is God’s holy word received as his word. That is truth the center and circumference of which is Christ Jesus.