Union in the Present Truth.
By Editor
LAST Sabbath we preached in San Francisco, taking for our text Zeph. 2 : 1-3. The passage reads as follows:— "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you. Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." The points which presented themselves to our minds we wish to present to our readers. The duty specially dwelt upon is that contained in the first verse. We enforce it by reversing the order of statement, and tracing back to it. 1. The text applies when the "day of the Lord" is near; also called "the day of the Lord's anger." This "day" is referred to in Isa. 2 : 10-21, as the time when the Lord shall arise "to shake terribly the earth;" when "every one that is proud" shall be abased, and the enemies of the Lord will hide themselves "in the holes of the rocks, and in the caves of the earth." Compare Rev. 6 : 12-17. Isa. 13 : 6-13, describes this day, saying "it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty;" that it "cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it;" when he will "shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place," etc. Joel says the coming of the day of the Lord shall be proclaimed, when it is near, that the inhabitants of the land may be caused to tremble. Joel 2 : 1. Amos 5 : 18-20, says the day of the Lord shall be, and no brightness in it. Paul says, the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night, and sudden destruction shall come upon those who cry, Peace and safety. 1 Thess. 5 : 1-3. Peter says it is the day of perdition of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3 : 3-10. 2. When this day of the Lord is near, an injunction is given to seek meekness, and to seek righteousness. But the peculiarity of the text is, that the meek of the earth are exhorted to seek meekness; and they who have wrought the judgment of God are exhorted to seek righteousness. To these, the meek and righteous of the earth, it is said, if they seek meekness and righteousness, "it may be" they "shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." This clearly indicates the closeness of the test that is coming as the day of the Lord approaches; that the ordinary degrees of meekness and righteousness will not answer the demand of that time. The reason is evident: every extraordinary event of the past has called for a special or extraordinary preparation. But nothing like the coming "time of trouble" has ever been seen by mortal men. It is "the day of the Lord's fierce anger," when the wicked shall "drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation." Rev. 14 : 10; when probation shall cease, and the Lord Jesus shall end his work of intercession, and come "in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thess. 1 : 8. Since the first promise given to Adam, after his fall, man has never been without an intercessor, or mediator. But, truly, God's "Spirit shall not always strive with man." Jesus will exchange the robes of priesthood for "the garments of vengeance." Isa. 59 : 17. In that day, he "that is unjust" must "be unjust still." Rev. 22 : 11, 12. No longer will sin be remitted, and the sinners will be turned away from the throne of grace. Prov. 1 : 24-30. Presumption and neglect will prove their ruin. 3. This exhortation must be heeded now. Diligence is required, "Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff;" when the decree is made that "he that is unjust, let him be unjust still," no one can come to the Father, for Jesus is no longer a mediator. Oh, solemn time! how necessary to wrestle with God now, and get a full preparation to "stand in the battle in the day of the Lord." Eze. 13 : 5. See verses 1-14. 4. The same people are, of course, spoken to in the first verse, and exhorted, or rather commanded, thus: "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together." The duty is urgent: it is repeated. This gathering has no reference to locality. Its meaning may be drawn from the use of the word "here" in Rev. 14 : 12. "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." "Here" does not mean, in this place, or locality. It has no special reference to San Francisco, or California, or Michigan, or New York, or New England. God's people are, and will be, in these localities, and many others. But "here" signifies, at this time and under the circumstances described. So, gathering together, does not indicate a coming to one locality, but a coming into unity of faith and spirit. This is an important duty, very often and very strongly inculcated in the Scriptures. The prayer of the Saviour on that last evening which he spent with his disciples before his death, is decisive on this point. He prayed for them, and not for them only, but for all who should believe on him through their word. It is for us as actually as it was for them. He prayed, "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." John 17 : 21. "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." Verse 23. It is very essential to our growth in the Christian graces that we strive for this unity; but it has a practical bearing—a most important one—outside of ourselves. The union of those who accept the truth of God is proof to the world of the divinity and the divine mission of Jesus. They who wish to "Christianize the nation" would accomplish far more toward it by striving for the unity of faith and spirit in the truth, than by civil enactments and Constitutional amendments. "Police regulations" "in the interests of religion" may secure a "fiat" religion—a religion of declaration instead of works, but a religion which will carry conviction to the world that Christianity is of Heavenly origin. Paul wrote to the Philippians: "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind." Phil. 2 : 1, 2. They who would appreciate the Saviour's prayer in John 17, must have some of the spirit of the solemn scene and of the tender instruction which he gave to his disciples, on that night, so soon before his sufferings. So they who would appreciate the apostle's counsel to unity in Phil. 2 : 2, must consider the impressive introduction thereto in verse 1: "If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit." Who that has experienced the love of God can deny this consolation, this comfort, this fellowship? By these we are exhorted to this unity. To reject the unity is to cast a slight upon these precious tokens of divine love and consolation. God save us from despising such Heavenly benefits! Again, the same apostle has taught the same thing in his letter to the Corinthians. "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." 1 Cor. 1 : 10. And he taught that the means of attaining to this unity are the gifts of the Spirit which God "set in the church." (1 Cor 12 : 28). "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ : till we all come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Eph. 4 : 11-13. The church is represented as "a perfect man," all the members "fitly joined together," with Christ as the head. And we are not only united to Christ the head, but, says the apostle, "we are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." Rom. 12 : 5. Very few of the members of a human body are united to the head directly, and none independently. The union with the head is through each with each other. So in the body of Christ—the church—"every one members one of another." Severed, disconnected, there is no body. Separated from one another they are separated from the head—separated from their sphere of usefulness. "The43eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you." 1 Cor. 12 : 21. These scriptures should be well considered by all who profess to love the present truth. The obligations and responsibilities of church relations are but little appreciated. To connect one's self with the work of God means something. It is a position of high privileges. But it is not all of privilege; it is a position of great responsibility; it is a renunciation of self, and of our own ways. It is entering an army, to yield implicit obedience to the "Captain of our salvation." It is entering a school, to pay diligent attention to the instruction of our Divine Teacher. They who profess to belong to this army, to be in this school, who cultivate feelings of independence and self-will are laboring under a fatal deception. To one relation in the church and cause of God we wish to call special attention. God always has a work in progress in the earth; at different times he has a special work. And in all things he chooses workers to carry on his work. Indeed, where there is a work there must be workers. Without workers no work can be done; and the work for man God has committed to men. These workers are not infallible; they are not perfect, for no such persons can be found to do any work. But they are called of God; they are Heaven-appointed. Saul was far from being a perfect man; he pursued David with bitter hatred, with cruel and causeless jealousy. But David would not lift up his hand against Saul even in self-defense; not so much as to treat him with any indignity, because he was "the Lord's anointed." God chose the king, and placed him on the throne; he was master of the position, and the position must be respected for the Lord's sake. In this David manifested a high sense of loyalty to the God of Israel. Obedience to the constituted authority is obedience to God who makes the appointment. Moses was not a perfect man; Aaron was far from being a perfect man; but God chose them to occupy a certain position in his work, and loyalty to the work demanded that they be respected in that position. Moses did not choose the place, he tried by every means to avoid taking the responsibility, and to have another appointed. But having accepted it, he was in duty bound to maintain it, and to perform the obligations connected with it. But certain eminent ones, "famous in the congregation, men of renown," "gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them; wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?" Num. 16 : 3. This was a false accusation; they had not lifted up themselves; they had not taken these positions upon them; but the Lord had placed them there. The rebellion was professedly against Moses and Aaron, but actually against the authority and appointment of God. And the rebuke which the Lord gave to this spirit of selfishness and self-will was as terrible as it deserved. He caused the earth to open and to swallow up the rebellious company "and all that appertained to them." Many are making the same mistake made by Korah and his company, even in this day. They profess great love for the work of God, and yet think they do no wrong in hindering the workers. All that Korah did, or tried to do, was to destroy the influence of Moses in the sight of the congregation. But what more was needed to hinder the work, than to destroy the efficiency of those appointed to do the work? God always has those who represent his work; who spend their time, their strength, their lives, to insure its prosperity and success. And often have we wondered at the blindness of those who seem to have a real love for the cause of God, who will weep under the thrilling testimonies of the servants of God whose lives are consecrated to the work, and will yet give the strength of their influence to some pious talker whose sole ambition is to destroy the influence of the testimony given for the truth. Poor, deceived souls! If they would stop to consider, they would see that these professedly pious but vain talkers bear no burden of the cause themselves. They represent no truth; they are not committed to the advancement of any principle. A thousand like them would never advance the work of the Lord enough to give it a place upon the earth. Their strength is to suggest doubts; to murmur; to cavil; to find fault with the real workers. But if the work were put into their hands, if a real responsibility were placed upon them, they would soon give full proof of their weakness and their folly. Every particle of encouragement given to them is just so much aid rendered to the enemy of the cause and work of God. We are in a time of great dangers and great responsibilities. "Now the gathering call is sounding." What is our influence, and where is it exerted? "Who is on the Lord's side?" We are either gathering with Christ or scattering abroad. The Lord calls for faithful, diligent soldiers. "The battle is coming between the two kingdoms; the armies are gathering round." To us is given the solemn, urgent admonition: "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together." Let no distracting influences have place in the ranks of the Lord's army. In the strength of God one can chase a thousand, while two can put ten thousand to flight. Deut. 32 : 30. So greatly does union increase our strength in the work of God. Let us "press together," keeping "the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace," and victory will soon be ours.