E. O. MEACHAM by E. O. Meacham

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 29, 1857

E. O. MEACHAM

By E. O. Meacham

"By whom shall Jacob Arise?"

WHILE viewing the Laodicean state of the church, the threatening of God, and the counsel of the true Witness to them, we are led to inquire, "By whom shall Jacob arise: for he is small?" Since the true light has shone upon the church, and we have been made to realize our condition, some feeble efforts have been made to extricate ourselves from the awful state into which we have fallen. Still there is a great lack of faith in Him who is able to save and deliver. There is a lack of energy—a lack of consecration—of giving up and sanctifying all to Christ. O for a spirit of self-denial, a spirit of self-examination, a spirit of deep humility before God, a rending of the heart, and not of the garment; for to "obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken, than the fat of rams." There is too much of a conformity to the world—too much of a desire to follow the fashions, even at a respectable distance. Many have been hearers of the word, and not doers. They have looked into the gospel glass, and have seen all their imperfections, and turned away, forgetting what manner of beings they were. The gospel glass is a faithful mirror in which we may see all our faults, and our situation before God, and if we continue therein we shall be blessed in our deeds.

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." Jas iv, 8-10. "Be zealous and reform," is the command given us, and it is a work to which the attention of every follower of the meek and lowly Jesus is directed.

The time has come when the plumb line is to be set in the midst of God's people, that he may pass by them no more. God is sifting out, and sanctifying for himself a people, who will be zealous for his name. And shall we who have enjoyed his favor, turn away from obeying the command and heeding the counsel of the true Witness, and finally perish by the way, just in sight of the kingdom? O brethren, arouse, awake, gird on the whole armor! diligently ply the oar, lest we be shipwrecked upon the shoals and quicksands of unbelief.

"Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy, break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you." Hosea x, 12.

Seek righteousness, seek meekness, before the decree go forth," "he that is holy, let him be holy still; and that is filthy, let him be filthy still."

E. O. MEACHAM

Savanna, Ills., Jan. 11th, 1857.