UNITY IN WORSHIP by Jos. Clarke

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 29, 1859

UNITY IN WORSHIP.

By Jos. Clarke

It is a solemn thing to attempt the worship of God. It is an inestimable privilege, a high and glorious employment to address the holy One, who inhabiteth eternity.

There are many ways in which God may be worshiped and honored, but pre-eminent above them all, is the assembly of the upright, convened for the especial purpose of public worship, in prayer, praise and exhortation, or in listening to the warnings and instructions of his chosen servants.

There is such a thing as improving these opportunities to our spiritual benefit, and there is, too, such a thing as entirely losing the benefit these social privileges afford.

Witness the careless worshiper. He has a form of godliness, keeps the Sabbath, attends meeting regularly, but does not keep his heart. Sabbath comes, his work ceases, but his thoughts are still on the world. Its vain enchantments allure his mind. He attends meeting, but his thoughts rove about from one vanity to another. If the sermon is very interesting, he praises it; if a prayer is remarkably fervent, he enters into it; but not till his turn comes does he think of praying himself. Then he tries, but his heart is cold, his tongue is palsied, and he thinks he has no talent, and pleads inability. If he exhorts it is to keep up his credit with his brethren. If he sings, it is to fill out the programme.

Far too many of us do not worship God with all our powers of heart and soul. There are so many subjects to attract the mind, so many objects to draw off the attention, that our social and public worship of God is too much like mockery. The mind is not wholly disciplined to the will of God.

Let us unite. When one is engaged in prayer, let us all unite heart and soul, adopt his petitions as our own, and with fervent desire and simple faith, send them up to where Jesus pleads his blood; then may we expect the heavens to break over our heads with blessings.

When one rises to exhort, inwardly pray that he may be upheld and strengthened from on high, that the Spirit may speak through him to the edification of the body of believers. If he is not awake to righteousness, carry his case to God in secret, pray him to arouse the lukewarm brother, then perhaps the Lord will give thee some good word for him, if not, thine own soul will be strengthened.

When the praises of God are sung, join in the singing, making melody in thine heart. Do not let the mind rove to other subjects, but let the Lord have the attention of all hearts, at once rising in songs of praise with a full flow of harmony. O how wicked, how hypocritical, to worship him in a negligent, careless way, with the mind so wavering that the opening of a door or the entrance of a tardy brother or sister should draw off the mind of the worshipers from their holy employment.

Or if you have the privilege of listening to his chosen servants, do not consider that the church is to listen as merely the passive recipient of his instructions, for thus you will be a heavy weight, a burden upon your minister. No wonder he falters when you listen to him as a spectator. Each one should pray for him, that God would touch his lips as with a live coal from off the altar, that the Spirit would quicken and animate all his powers, and send home the truth to all. Thus let us all do, who desire the good of Zion, and the reward will come. JOS. CLARKE.