The Call of God to the Young
By R. A. Underwood
"The Master is come, and calleth for thee." John 11:28. THE call to serve, like the care of God, is universal. Christ said, "I am among you as he that serveth." No member of the human body can be separated from its vital function, and the body remain perfect. Neither can any member of the human family be released from his appointed work, and the purpose of God remain unmarred; for the Creator has given "to every man his work." Mark 13:34. In Christ's example he has enforced the great law of existence only for service. To this end Christ has distributed the gifts and callings of men to meet the varied needs of man's spiritual and physical being. It therefore follows that the call to life's work comes to man in his youth. God has so ordained that man's life may be rounded out in useful service even to a good old age, provided he has gained a rich experience in his early years.5One of the happy provisions of the Almighty is that man may live over again for the good of others his early experience; especially is this so if his life has been one of joyful service for the cause of Christ and humanity. If a man's early life has been rich in conquests for the cause of Christ, broad in the conceptions of the truth, unfaltering and aggressive in the march of advancing light, always making difficulties but stepping-stones to a higher Christian experience, it will be found in old age that he has a fund stored up from which he can draw to bless both young and old. But if the early life has been barren of precious fruit in ministry, then the declining days can not be the service to the world that God intended they should be. It is therefore evident that God's call to the ministry and the work of soul-winning is in early life. I will briefly notice some of the examples of God's call to men to do a great work:— When King Ahab and Israel were brought into distress by the warring kings of Syria, a prophet came to Ahab and said that this great company should be delivered into Ahab's hand. When the king asked, "By whom?" the prophet replied, "Thus saith the Lord, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces." Then Ahab asked, "Who shall order the battle?" and the answer was, "Thou." 1 Kings 20:13-16. Out of seven thousand people two hundred thirty-two young princes were found whom God used to deliver his people under the direction of King Ahab. When God wanted a man to save Israel and all Egypt through the seven years of famine, and to be a light-bearer to Egypt, he selected the young man Joseph. Years later when the people of God were called out of Egypt, a child had been chosen and trained for a mighty leader. When the temple was to be built, God raised up Solomon, a young man, and gave him great wisdom for the task. Again, Daniel, the mighty seer and statesman, was chosen for his great work in his youth. So was John the Baptist, the forerunner of the first advent of Christ. The twelve disciples were all young men in the vigor of life, except one, when chosen by Christ. When God wanted a man to be the apostle to the Gentiles and to open to the Christian church the work and ministry of Christ as high priest in the heavenly sanctuary, the young man Saul was chosen. These are a few of the many Bible characters called of God in youth to the work of saving men. Since the days of the apostles, in every great movement of the church God has called young men to pioneer the way. The leaders of the Reformation were young men. Luther and Melanchthon gave their best days to the cause of reform. So it was with John and Charles Wesley, Whitefield, and many others. When the clock of time struck for a world-wide movement to carry the gospel to all the world and to awaken the heathen nations, such young men as Carey, Moffat, Judson, Williams, and Livingstone were fired by the Spirit of God to go forth into the dark places of the earth with the gospel, and to learn new languages, and to translate the Bible into many tongues. When the third angel's message was due to the world, God chose the young to pioneer the work. James White and his wife, J. N. Andrews, Uriah Smith, J. H. Waggoner, J. N. Loughborough, and many others who were leaders in this movement entered the ministry of the third angel's message in the vigor of youth. Now that the message has encircled the world from east to west and from north to south, dotting every land, the call of God to ten thousand young people among Seventh-day Adventists to-day is to arise and quickly finish the work. With such an army of young "princes," and older men of experience to assist in ordering the battle, the work will soon be finished. Will the young respond to the call? "The Master is come, and calleth for thee."