p. 70 | A NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS by L. M. Gates

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 20, 1859

A NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS

By L. M. Gates

TO THOSE ENGAGED IN PROCLAIMING THE "PRESENT TRUTH."

Servants of Christ! who in his service stand, And nobly labor to sustain his cause, Who cast aside the favor of the world, Its honors, titles, dignities resign, And lay your wealth, your time, your talents, all, With cheerful hearts upon God's altar, pure, A willing sacrifice. To you is given God's final message to a sinful world, Of mercy, to proclaim. Upon you rest Responsibilities of awful weight; And still more truly, awfully sublime Is your important mission. Forth ye go Upon your Master's errand; gird about With panoply divine: your armor faith, Salvation's helmet, and Christ's righteousness; Your sword, the Spirit's own eternal truth; Your hearts o'erflowing with the love divine Of Him who died for you, for all our race. Salvation for the lost, your only theme; Love for the dying souls of men, alone Constrains you to forsake your happy homes, Your kindred friends, and creature comforts all, And without purse or scrip, go boldly forth, Proclaiming to a lost, apostate world, These most unpopular, unwelcome truths. Time almost ended, mercy's open door Just ready now to close, forever close. Man not immortal, but in danger of Eternal death. The seventh day is still The holy Sabbath of the Lord our God, No marvel that your waiting anxious hearts, Surcharged already with the weight of souls, Should sink within you, when with fervor deep In all sincerity, you men entreat To flee the wrath to come, ere time no more Shall give them for repentance any space, While they with deafened ear and hardened heart Laugh you to scorn, and scoff at what they term A doctrine most absurd, fanatical Indeed, the most improbable caprice That ever heterodoxy could invent. With you, dear brethren, in these trials sore, Our hearts can sympathise; but ne'er forget In the most holy place, there's One above Who marks your sighs, and bottles every tear; Who notes your trials all, and heeds them with Unceasing, unabated, pitying love. Toil on! ye veterans of the cross, toil on! Another year of warfare now is o'er, Its sorrows and its joys are ended, all Its lights and shadows numbered with the past. Another year of watching, waiting time Has dawned upon you. The very last, perchance, Of hope and mercy, granted unto man Before the fatal fiat shall go forth, He that is filthy shall be filthy still. The fervent, humble prayers of God's elect Attend, and follow you, to help sustain Your hands, that Amalek may not prevail. Jesus has passed through all these trials, too, And to your weakness tempers every blast. Watchmen on Zion's battlements stand fast, With unfurled banners, armor bright, fight on, Impregnable to Satan and his host, A mighty phalanx. You are now sent forth Like John the Baptist, by the great I AM, To herald the Messiah. Well, fulfill! Unto the end, your great, your high commission Soon the Archangel's trump shall wake the dead, And call the nations from their slumber forth; Then with the ransomed throng shall you ascend To meet the King eternal in the air, And enter, through the gates, that city fair, Which needeth not the sun nor any light. There, freely shall you pluck ambrosial fruits From life's fair tree; and of that river drink Whose streams make glad the city of our God. Then on your heads shall your Redeemer place Most glittering crowns, with stars bespangled o'er, Seals of your faithful ministry on earth. There, dressed in robes of spotless white, with palms In your right hand, before the great white throne You'll stand, and join the never-ceasing song, Salvation to our God forevermore. For reigneth now the Lord omnipotent! O beatific state! Glory to God! And to the Lamb who died, yet lives again; O joy ineffable! earth's trials o'er, Sorrow and sin can never enter here, Nor sickness, pain, temptation e'er assail. Salvation to our God and to the Lamb! Even so, Lord Jesus, let thy kingdom come. L. M. GATES. Trenton, Wis., Jan. 1st, 1859.