Lonely Sabbaths with Jesus
By H. S. Boyd
BRO. SMITH:—In my lonely pilgrimage I often think of those situated like myself, doomed to spend our Sabbaths alone; and yet not alone; for Jesus is with us, and has said he will be with us to the end of the world. Glorious promise! with us to the end. We need not be discouraged if we have such a friend with us always. O no! let us be strong in him who is King of kings and Lord of lords, and who will soon have all his enemies under his feet. Dear brethren and sisters, I can sympathize with you. I often think of and pray for you. I know what it is to spend lonely Sabbaths, with strangers, and oftentimes with bitter opposers, (being by trade a clock repairer.) I have to experience my full share of inconvenience by keeping the Sabbath of the Lord our God. But let us take courage: no temptation has happened to us which is not common to man. Even Jesus was tempted in all points as we are, and can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities. Jesus, once possessed of all the glories of heaven, for our sakes became so poor that he had not where to lay his head. If we suffer pain and persecution we remember that he was also a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and persecuted unto death. Do we love this Jesus? Then let us so live that all men may know that we are his disciples, (John xiii, 34, 35.) and have the evidence in us that we have passed from death unto life. 1 John iii, 14. Herein is love: not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us we ought also to love one another: if we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us, because he hath given us his Spirit. 1 John iv, 10-14. Let us have this evidence, and cultivate this Spirit God is love. Our lot may seem at times hard, yet I feel that we are a highly favored people. God's children have always been a persecuted people, from righteous Abel down to the present time; yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. If we be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are we; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon us. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear we shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Dear brethren and sisters, let us cheer up. While the ancient worthies suffered infinitely more than we, they had to look into the dim and distant future for their reward. We can view ours near, yea, close at hand; and although we cannot meet here, there is a meeting that we can all attend. It will be when the angels have gathered the elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. It will be when the prophets, patriarchs and apostles shall meet, and Jesus with his blood-bought throng will be there. O glorious meeting! where we shall part no more, but enjoy the society of those we love, of angels and our dear Saviour forever, and range the bright fields of glory in the presence of our God, and shout praise to Him who has purchased with his own blood these glories for us. Brethren and sisters, shall we be there? Through the grace of God I hope to be there. That we may be sanctified through the truth, cleansed from all unrighteousness, and be prepared for such a holy place is the prayer of your unworthy brother.