DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS:—With feelings of solemnity I would address you upon a subject of vast importance, one that interests every child of God. The subject is love; the love that Christ commanded us to have for one another. How many of us would lay down our lives for the Brn.? Alas! are there not many who profess to be commandment-keepers who would not willingly suffer an inconvenience, nay, who would not do what would be perfectly convenient if they did not love self and the world too well, for the sake of doing their brethren good? Is not there a reserve and coldness existing which ill becomes the remnant in these last days? Ah! my Brn., these things ought not so to be. We can never enter the pearly gates of the New Jerusalem unless we love with pure hearts fervently. We lack neither precept nor example for this love of which I speak. Christ our worthy pattern has given us both, and we shall be left without excuse. Indeed there can be no excuse, for the enlightened Christian failing in so plain a duty. Let me urge you by all that is dear to you, as you value the joys that we expect to be soon revealed, to assimilate to the lovely Jesus in this and all other matters.
We profess to be that peculiar people zealous of good works, that God is purifying unto himself for translation at the appearing of his Son; but can we expect to be of that happy company unless we become more like him here? "God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him." "Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is so are we in this world." Are we truly so? We ought to be, and we shall need that boldness of which the beloved disciple speaks. We profess to keep all of God's commandments and the faith of Jesus, and this is his commandment that we should "love one another." "He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him, and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us."
Do we realize the time in which we live? The unmistakable signs of Christ's soon coming have thickened around us and we know that it is the last time. How careful then we should be to walk with God, to work out our salvation with trembling and fear. We have no time to lose, but should, while the day lasteth, labor diligently to make our calling and election sure, that when Christ shall appear we may be like him, and see him as he is, and so ever be with the Lord.