Christian Exercise

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 26, 1863

Christian Exercise.

THE Christian is the representative of Jesus Christ. On him are imposed duties, and to him are given privileges, in the performance and exercise of which he will ever find his highest good. The religion which he professes is, and of necessity must be, progressive, and he must needs find it necessary to lay hold upon all the objective influences within his reach, in order that he may fully carry out this inherent principle, and make that advancement in the divine life which will insure for him perfect peace. He must exercise every gift with which God has blessed him, or he will fail to grow in grace—fail to add something each day to his stock of spiritual strength. By no means the least among these outside influences, is that of witnessing for Christ—bearing testimony by word, on all suitable occasions, and speaking of those things which make for the peace of every human soul.

On earth we live two lives—one an inward or spiritual—the life of the soul—the other an outward, or life of the body. The one needs sustenance and food as much as the other; and if proper exercise is needed to develop and strengthen our physical, then by the same law the exercise of spiritual gifts and privileges is equally necessary to the development of our spiritual being. For this object—that of strengthening each other—of building up each other—Christians meet together, and speak often one to another, and talk about their Saviour, and that bright world beyond the tomb. When the heart of the Christian is warm with love to Christ; when every thought, and feeling, and impulse of the soul is in harmony with that great heart which beats for the world; when, like the Saviour at Samaria's well, he feels it to be his meat and drink to do the will of his Father in heaven; then it is impossible for him to keep silence upon this all-absorbing theme that fills and swells his soul; then, whether in the conference or prayer-meeting; on the Sabbath or week day; in the family, the counting room, the shop, the street or the field—in fact, wherever he finds an ear to listen, he pours out from an overflowing soul those great truths that take hold on eternity.

If from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, how is it possible for us to conceive of a real Christian who rarely, if ever, speaks of religion. I remember, in early life, a man who I was told was a Christian; and yet—a thing that seemed very strange to me—I had seen him in a great many prayer-meetings; had been often in his family and in his company elsewhere; but had never heard him open his lips to tell of a Saviour's love, or point the sinner to Calvary. He excused himself by saying that he had not the ability, and consequently not the confidence to do so; and

yet he had ability enough to talk intelligently upon general topics. Such Christians, if Christians they are, are surely an enigma.

My timid brother, what if you cannot express your thoughts in such smooth, plain language as one more gifted! What if you cannot stand up in the great congregation and talk as well, as long, and fluently—these can constitute no plausible reason why you should forever hold your peace. If you can say no more, speak those few words—the sweetest you can utter—'I love the Saviour.' Say it again and again, wherever you have an opportunity. Our hearts have often been more touched at the sound of those words than by a labored sermon. The short and simple recital of God's dealing with the young convert, have stirred our soul from the very depths. A word coming from a meek and subdued heart, will wake a response in every sanctified soul.

Let not a favorable opportunity slip to bear your humble testimony to the beauty and truth of the gospel of Christ—and soon, what seemed your duty, will grow into a sweet and blessed privilege, as clear as your life, until you mix and mingle with that innumerable company, who lift up their clear angelic voices, forever and ever before the great white throne, saying, 'Holy! Holy! Lord God Almighty! which was, and is, and is to come!'—Moore's Rural New-Yorker.