SOME PERSONAL REFLECTIONS.
By C. T. Shaffer
WHEN Jesus called His disciples "the salt of the earth," He showed that they had power, in His Spirit, to make men thirst for righteousness. TO BE "the light of the world" is to enlighten men concerning the work of God in creation, redemption, and salvation. It is to stand clearly and firmly on the Lord's side. In this work some Christians do not seem to desire to be more than a tallow dip. Men and brethren, live up to the privileges of your powers. Be bright and shining lights. PRIVATE interpretations of Scripture are responsible for all errors and schism in religious belief. Allow that God is wise enough to say what He means and honest enough to mean what He says. Then you will see that He tells the plain, simple truth in what He says, and all believers will be of one mind—one faith. Unity of the faith does not come by compromising points of doctrine. A compromise is a union of what you believe to be true with what you do not believe to be true. It is a vain attempt to unite faith and unbelief. It is a wedding at which the devil presides. TAKE the Word of God. It says, "Thy law is the truth." It surely is so, for God spoke it. "Sin is the TRANSGRESSION of the law," or truth: "By the law [truth] is the KNOWLEDGE of sin." That is so. The law does not give a knowledge of how to do sin, but a knowledge of sin. Thus it is a school-master to bring the sinner to Christ for pardon, salvation, righteousness, life. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." Unbelief keeps the people guessing as to what is coming next. It breeds worry, vexation, disappointment, despair, and death. Trust the wisdom and honesty of God, and take Him at His word. He knows the kind of creatures He has to deal with, and gives us His Word in simple language. SELF-SATISFACTION is not the witness of the Spirit of God with our spirits that we are His obedient children. It is not a guide to obedience. Happiness, or a clear conscience, is the fruit of obedience to every known duty. Self-satisfaction has no aspirations, but is a listless indifference to the origin and end of life. It is spiritual death. CONSCIENCE is not the law-making body of the soul, but the judiciary at whose bar the soul brings itself for trial concerning obedience to known duties or laws. The judgments of an unstifled and enlightened conscience are true premonitions of our standing at the judgment-bar of God. Don't trifle with the voice of conscience, nor mistake its office. THE one mission of Jesus to this world was to "save His people from their sins." "Thou shalt call His name Jesus." He came to save men from their transgressions of His law, not to abolish the law, and leave them dead in trespasses and sins. Abolish the law, and life has no safeguard, no protection. By a knowledge and remembrance of His life, His law would be imperishably written upon the fleshy tables of our heart. There it would effectually work as leaven, to give life and purity to the entire soul. C. T. SHAFFER.
Washington, D. C.