Our Dialect by J. W. Raymond

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 16, 1856

Our Dialect.

By J. W. Raymond

TO THE YOUNG.

DEAR YOUNG BRETHREN AND SISTERS:—As the lapse of time is bringing us very near the close of probation, it behooves us as we pass down the stream of time to search our hearts, to examine ourselves, and see if we are prepared to meet the event. Soon the ministration of Jesus in the heavenly Sanctuary will terminate, and it will be said, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Soon the parting heavens will reveal the dear Saviour as he comes, “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”

At this time the human family will be divided into two companies, and neither of these companies will be idle spectators: they will both have something to say. The language of one is, “Mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand.” The language of the other is, “Lo! this is our God, we have waited for him and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

As the signs of the times attest these events near, undoubtedly we shall nearly all live to witness them, and we shall be found in one or the other of these companies. The company that we are found in, depends altogether on the course we pursue prior to that time. In order to be found in the company that says, “Lo this is our God, we have waited for him,” &c., we have got to overcome the evil propensities of our hearts. The old man must be crucified. That unruly member, the tongue, must be tamed, and be brought into sweet submission to the Spirit and requirements of God, so that we shall be holy in all manner of conversation.

It is with regard to our conversation that I wish to make a few remarks. Trifling is truly one of the greatest evils to which we are incident. How often have we grieved away the Spirit of God, marred our peace, and destroyed that calm tranquility of soul which we possessed, by indulging in light and trifling conversation. Idle words are the ingredients of a light and trifling conversation. And can we give utterance to idle words with impunity? Let the Bible answer. Says Jesus, [Matt. xii, 36, 37.] “Every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

These words of our Saviour are fraught with meaning. The phrase, “every idle word,” comprehends a great deal. Conversation of a vain, light and chaffy nature, and that does not minister grace to the hearer, is composed of idle words; and for the utterance of such God will hold us amenable. Were the above words of our Redeemer indelibly written upon our minds, and did we at all times feel and realize their force, we should never be guilty of grieving the Spirit of God, wounding the feelings of the humble followers of the meek and lowly Jesus, and impeding our progress in divine life, by indulging in light and trifling conversation.

Our conversation should be such that we could say in the language of Paul, [Phil. iii, 20, 21.] “For our conversation is in heaven, (i. e., upon heavenly things) from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Says Paul, [Eph. iv, 22.] “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.”

We are here commanded to put off the old man in regard to our former conversation. We now inquire, What was our former conversation? What was our conversation prior to the time when Jesus first lifted our feet from the miry and contaminating pit of sin? Was it not like the conversation of other unconverted young people. Forsooth it was. Go, listen to the conversation of that group of unconverted young people: is not levity the spirit of their conversation? Are they not indulging in vain, light and trifling conversation, jesting and joking? Most certainly. This was the spirit and nature of our former (and it is to be feared in too great a degree our present) conversation? But God's word requires us to put off concerning our former conversation, the old man, and if we do not condemnation will ensue. Alas! how many there are who bear the name of Christian who profess to be the followers of the meek and lowly Jesus, in whose mouth was found no guile and at the same time foster that Bible-forbidden, and soul-destroying thing, Levity! Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, [chap. v, 3,] after speaking of certain things, says, “Let it not be once named among you as becometh saints;” and in verse 4 he adds, “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which is not convenient, but rather giving of thanks.”

The actions (and actions speak louder than words) of many who profess to be Christians, instead of teaching as Paul taught, that these things were not convenient, teach the very reverse. It is no marvel in these last days, in which there was to be so much of the form of godliness without the power, [2 Tim. iii, 5,] as to constitute a sign of the end, to find professors of religion who can indulge in vain light and trifling conversation, jesting and joking, with apparently as much fluency as those who never professed any alliance to the title of Christian. But can we who profess to be living under the sounding of the Third Angel's Message—the last sweet voice of mercy—the last note of warning that will ever salute mortal ear, indulge in a spirit of mirth and hilarity? If we can, it is because the Message is not sanctified in our hearts. There is no human heart capacious enough to contain at the same time the spirit of levity and the Spirit of Christ.

If we have the spirit of levity, we have not the Spirit of Christ; and the Word says, [Rom. viii, 9,] “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his.” May the Lord help us to take heed to our ways that we sin not with our lips. David tells us how we may see the salvation of God: he says, [Ps. l, 23.] “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me; and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.” Again we read [Jas. iii, 13.] “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you, let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness and wisdom.” “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ.” Phil. i, 27. “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation: because it is written, [Lev. xi, 44; xix, 2; xx, 7,] Be ye holy for I am holy.” 1 Pet. i, 15, 16.

Peter in discoursing upon the renovation of the heavens and earth by the final conflagration, says, [2 Pet. iii, 11.] “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.” Cast your eye upon the stream of time and behold the great mass of the human family as they are being borne down the broad way to destruction as fast as the velocity of time can carry them, and then turn your eye and look a little into the future and behold them as they poise o'er the precipice into the vortex of destruction—lost forever.

Dear brethren and sisters, we may have a brother or sister, or both, whose hearts have never been inured to the benign and sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit, and undoubtedly some of them will continue in their sinful course until probation closes, and at last sink into destruction with this company. And shall it be said, that while we professed to be allied to the Living Vine our lives and conversation were such as had a tendency to lead them thither? Heaven forbid! The thought is heart rending. In view of these things I again repeat, “What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.”

Says Paul, [Col. iii, 17.] “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Eph. iv, 29.

J. W. RAYMOND.

[Concluded next week.]