Redeeming the time means making the most of the time that remains, because time already lost cannot be recovered. Time is God's gift and talent, bought by Christ's blood and entrusted to people to use for His glory and to bless others, not for self-pleasing. The days are evil because sin, wickedness, moral darkness, confusion, and perils are increasing, with the final conflict near, probation closing, and the end approaching. Therefore the call is to walk circumspectly, carefully, and watchfully, not as fools but as wise, understanding what the will of the Lord is and living as children of light. The opportunity is short, precious, and passing, so there must be immediate decision and action without delay, for people are accountable not only for wrongs avoided but for the good they could have done and neglected, and are to put all God-given capabilities into saving souls.
Meaning of Redeeming Time
Redeeming the time means making the most of the time that remains, because time once lost can never be recovered. What is gone is gone, so the only redemption possible is earnest, reformed use of the present by becoming as zealous in good works as one has been negligent in duty and by doubling diligence to make calling and election sure. This is done by losing sight of self and personal ease and pleasure, beginning even now in this late period to work earnestly for God, leaving harmful associations, drawing near to God and His people, and using influence to help others follow Christ rather than turn them away. It is working with God in His great plan of redemption, which changes the character and fits a person to be a child of God and a companion of angels, with every moment spent for eternal interests and the salvation of others.
Time so redeemed must be wisely improved because probation moments are more precious than gold and their right use decides a share in the reward of the righteous at last. Opportunities lost through an unconsecrated life cannot be undone, but through Christ's grace time is still redeemed by repentance, renewed consecration, and redoubled, untiring exertion to help people see Jesus and win souls to the Saviour. Time is God's gift and talent, belonging to Him, bought by Christ's blood, entrusted to people to be used for His glory and to bless others, not for self-pleasing. Hours spent in selfish pleasure are wasted and lost for eternity, while faithful, purposeful, useful service brings blessing.
Each person has God-given work to do, and the hours are precious gifts to be improved carefully without idleness and without rash haste, with strict accountability for withholding due service. The days are evil because sin and wickedness are increasing, moral darkness covers the world, confusion multiplies, perils press, disasters fall on great cities, and impending judgments warn that the most favorable opportunity has passed. The final conflict is near, probation is closing, the time for work will end, and the end is approaching, so the remaining time must be redeemed by laboring more earnestly to give the warning message while there is still opportunity. Amid this darkness God's people are to shine by godly lives that show the truth ennobles those who live by it, acting wisely toward those outside the faith.
Redeeming the time requires reform through earnest, persevering effort to correct past errors as soon as they are recognized. It means choosing life instead of death by taking hold of God's work as never before, enduring hardness as soldiers of Jesus Christ, letting truth elevate, refine taste, sanctify judgment, and make one more like Christ and heavenly-minded. This includes setting a godly example before children by restraining and disciplining them, submitting in God's workshop to be hewed and refined here, since the fitting-up preparation must be done in this life stroke by stroke in order to be found without blemish, fill a place in God's building, see the King in His beauty, and possess everlasting life. Even an aimless, nearly useless life can still be redeemed, for God helps those who feel their need of Him, and victory and salvation come through Christ's merits, the character robe washed in the blood of the Lamb, turning to exemplary living that blesses others.
The opportunity is short, precious, and passing, calling for right decisions without delay for time and for eternity, while it is still called Today. Wasted time means lost opportunities, so not even one day can be wasted and there is no time to lose in recovering what was neglected by repenting and using God-given talents in the Master's service. Ministers especially must use the present urgently to undo wrongs they have allowed to continue, because delay harms souls, and those who have received light must walk in it, be converted daily, submit self to the Holy Spirit, and carry the last-time message with a burden for souls. Young men and women must faithfully build solid character by daily consecration, submitting to Christ so the Holy Spirit molds them to His likeness, turning from holidays in idleness and money in self-gratification to earnest, thoughtful, self-sacrificing help wherever needed, willing to spend and be spent even to losing life in service, assured of finding life again when Christ gathers His jewels. Redeeming the time in this way can be done well, but only through deliberate, earnest effort.
Walking Wisely in Evil Days
Redeeming the time belongs to walking circumspectly, carefully and watchfully, not as fools but as wise, in sharp contrast to the darkened and foolish ways of the surrounding world. It calls for using time well because the days are evil, for careful conduct and wakefulness rather than neglect, and for proving what is acceptable to the Lord. This wise walk includes searching the heart as with a lighted candle, and it forbids conforming to common opinions and modes of thinking and practice.
The call is to awake from spiritual sleep and arise from the dead so that Christ may give light, receiving His offered light instead of continuing in neglect and darkness. Those who have failed to do the good they could have done through God's strengthening grace are to awaken and respond. Failure comes when the enemy is allowed access to the mind and his suggestions are readily received, bringing lack of spiritual power and great confusion, with mistakes that then consume precious golden moments in undoing the results of his working. Recovery requires confessing the sins that dishonored God, put souls in danger and wasted hours, and devoting those hours instead to proclaiming present truth, with regenerating power and spiritual life, education after the Divine mind and will rather than surface work with the heart uninstructed, and living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. It also requires refusing inspiration from those bitter against the truth, putting away lying and criticizing and judging of brethren who are to be respected, loved and esteemed better than self, learning the first principles of loving one another as Christ loved, and gaining moral power not by inheritance but by a minute-by-minute fight of faith unto the higher wisdom that is first pure then peaceable and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, with hearts of stone replaced by hearts of flesh unto conversion and eternal life.
Wise walking means walking as children of light who were once darkness but are now light in the Lord, bearing the fruit of goodness and righteousness and truth. It means having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reproving them by the light, with all that is reproved made manifest by light, and refusing even to speak of shameful secret things done in darkness.
The verse calls for being not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is, obeying His Word, learning from Christ how to do His work, and depending on Christ for restoring power, tact, skill and wisdom. This means not wasting time and opportunities but putting time and abilities to responsible use in service to God, with young people especially called to such stewardship. Understanding the Lord's will means not being drunk with wine but being filled with the Spirit. It means speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with melody in the heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another in the fear of God. This is the only way husband and wife can glorify God in their united life, and it includes choosing prayer and song rather than answering angry or faultfinding words with more anger.
This wise life includes preserving body and mind in health so they can serve and honor God, rather than wasting strength or clouding the intellect through harmful choices. It refuses life-destroying practices of those who are extremists in pleasure and selfish gratification and lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, including indulging inordinate appetite for unhealthful things, since doing so sacrifices health and truth and righteousness and eternal life. It excludes drunkenness with wine and indulgence in wine or tobacco, which are not essential to Christian growth, because intoxicating liquor places a person wholly under the control of the demon who devised it to deface and destroy the moral image of God. Making up for lost time means realizing how much is at stake and now putting heart and soul and strength into the temperance cause, so that great good will be seen as the result, giving a loud cry for temperance as at Portland, Maine, standing in freedom from all enticement to liquor drinking, refusing the terrible influences of saloons, and opposing license to liquor selling and the confederacy of evil for the support of the liquor traffic, lest many souls be enticed to ruin.
A life guided by the verse is marked by love, peace, and words that comfort and strengthen others. All who consent to be laborers together with God work in Christ's lines, exercising mental powers with purpose to make those within their influence wise and better, uplifting and strengthening the weak, and making straight paths for the feet lest the lame be turned out of the way. It belongs to growing together as a holy temple in the Lord, with edifying speech that ministers grace, with not grieving the Holy Spirit, with putting away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking and malice, with being kind, tenderhearted and forgiving as God forgave for Christ's sake, and with walking in love as Christ gave Himself. Redeeming the time means choosing close companions whose example supports devotion to God rather than associations that draw away from religious life and eternal concerns, using time well by following God's Spirit through deliberate effort devoted to Christ.
Accountability for Neglected Good
Avoiding wrong is not enough, for judgment measures also the good that could have been done through strengthening grace but was neglected, and redeeming the time means using time and opportunity actively for the good required because the days are evil. The call is to awake from spiritual sleep, walk carefully and circumspectly rather than in neglect, and receive offered light and bear expected fruit. Those who fail to bear fruit are recorded as wasting their place in service. Every professed child is bound to work as a missionary and use entrusted gifts to bring people to Christ, and those who leave gifts unused will answer for the good they could have done, so they must awake and labor earnestly.
Faithfulness in putting all God-given abilities, time, strength, influence, mind, and talents into burden-bearing labor as channels of light with heavenly agencies, instead of folding the hands as mere lay members, misusing gifts, or letting talents lie inactive until power to use them is lost, is written in the books of heaven. Despised privilege, wasted hours, and neglected duties are registered there to be met in the judgment, and refusal to work grieves heavenly intelligences and Christ who paid an infinite price for souls. To fail to become wise is to fail to redeem the time, while redeeming it means filling every hour with good deeds and diligently cultivating entrusted talents in earnest effort to do the divine will.
Unused abilities grow weak and decay, yet those who have fallen behind and lagged are given hope if they now stop wasting hours and neglecting duties and faithfully put remaining talents and powers to work rather than despair. Walking circumspectly as wise and not as fools means understanding the divine will and making good use of time, which is broken when the mind is opened to the enemy's suggestions, bringing lack of spiritual power, confusion, mistakes, and golden moments spent undoing the results of that working. Redeeming the time then requires confessing the sins that dishonored God, endangered souls, and wasted hours, and devoting those hours instead to proclaiming present truth.
Human life is a brief probation, more precious than gold, whose right use decides a share in the reward of the righteous, perfection of character, and fitness for immortal life. Time cannot be brought back, so making the most of what remains redeems it, and treating life as a working day in view of eternal life prepares for immortality, whereas without true knowledge of eternal life labor ends in nothingness. The remaining moments must therefore be used diligently in service rather than wasted in idleness or sloth, with forethought, wisdom, courage, and perseverance in carrying forward the work Christ left, especially in giving the last warning message of mercy and closing gospel invitation, since time and talents belong to Him by redemption through His blood and must advance His cause. The short span allotted on earth is to be used wisely because each steward will be called to account when the Master comes.
Even those who have slighted mercy and abused grace are not beyond hope, for long-suffering love still pleads with them. When earnest prayer is heard and an unfaithful life unprepared for death is spared, the new lease of life is opportunity to repent of unfaithfulness and use remaining time rightly, especially after leading others wrongly, since to die unprepared leaves the case worse than that of an unenlightened sinner. Time and talents given by God must be improved for His glory, and one granted renewed opportunity to live should repent and redeem the time by faithful service.
Urgent Work for Souls
Redeeming the time means waking out of sleep and throwing all God-given abilities, time, strength, influence, mind, talents, capabilities and money into burden-bearing labor for lost souls as channels of light cooperating with heavenly agencies for salvation, instead of folding hands as only lay members, misusing entrusted gifts, wasting hours, neglecting duty, or letting talents lie inactive until all ability to use them is lost. No moment is to be lost in using means for God and being rich in good works to lay up a good foundation for eternal life and lay hold on eternal life, because one soul saved in the kingdom is worth more than all earthly riches. All are answerable to God for the souls with whom they are brought in contact as one great brotherhood whose welfare must be the great interest, with greater responsibility where connections are closer, and no child of God is excused from taking part with Christ in saving fellow men, lest the blood of souls be found upon the garments of the one who failed to act and refusal to work grieve heavenly intelligences and Christ who paid an infinite price for souls. Faithfulness in this is written in the books of heaven, while despised privilege, wasted hours and neglected duties are registered there to be met in the judgment, and those who have been careless must now be earnest at once.
Opportunities lost through an unconsecrated life, lack of diligence and failure to appreciate God's work cannot be recovered or undone, but through Christ's grace time is still redeemed by repenting of neglected work, turning from self-pleasing, self-serving and worldly pursuits, frivolous conversation and unimportant reading, and using God-given talents in the Master's service with renewed consecration. Redeeming the time means continually renewing and increasing effort, deepening concern for those Christ died for, and working tirelessly and with untiring exertion to help people see Jesus and win them to the Saviour, especially as the end draws near and life nears its eternal outcome. Each good and right action prepares for further faithful action and bears fruit for eternal life, while neglected opportunities leave souls unwarned and unsaved, so the time must be redeemed urgently before it is too late, with not even one day to be wasted.
Because sin and wickedness are increasing and the most favorable opportunity to warn the cities has passed, the remaining time is to be redeemed by laboring more earnestly to give the warning message of present truth while there is still opportunity, making up for long delay with heart and soul and voice. Growing wickedness, disasters in great cities and impending judgments make the remaining opportunity urgent, so people in long-neglected cities must be warned now with the last warning message while there is still time. Those in positions of responsibility are called to obey the charge to meet the needs of the large cities without further delay, entering unworked cities quickly, organizing workers two and two, undertaking the work with new courage and zeal, and never ceasing the effort until a thorough work is done for the winning of precious souls.
In Battle Creek this urgency presses the present question of what believers will do now, calling them to awake out of sleep because salvation is nearer than when they believed, the night far spent and the day at hand, casting off the works of darkness and putting on the armor of light. It means acting urgently to do work left undone that could have been done if professed Christians had shown Christlike character, rather than continuing in wrongdoing. The time for repentance and faithful service is short.
For the Southern field and the colored people, redeeming the time means consecrating to proclaim the truth and the third angel's message and undertaking the work God has given, meeting the needs of millions of Black people in the South while leaving results with God. The pressing need leaves no room for further delay and lost opportunity must now be made up by immediate action, making up for time wasted planning how to avoid difficulties, rising to act while there is opportunity, and persisting courageously even in difficult places. This long-neglected field must be worked by preparing workers without delay, finding and training them, giving promising young men and young women the very best advantages to become teachers, supporting those best fitted and accustomed to the climate who can labor there without endangering life, raising a fund to educate men and women without regard to color, building schoolhouses and meetinghouses and employing teachers, instructing only small numbers in different places so as not to attract attention and bring harm, and carrying on every kind of missionary work sustained by liberalities in publishing books like Gospel Primer, Christ Our Saviour and Coming King, which when done willingly and heartily as a privilege brings blessing to the doers. God gives this opportunity, grants wisdom to those training workers to recognize them, blesses the efforts and cooperates with those who go to save souls.
The work is done by pressing into every providential opening as opportunities open on every side, with eyes anointed with heavenly eyesalve to see and sense them as wide-awake missionaries who see and understand the ways presented before them. Those who have had opportunities to learn the reasons for their faith are to share that knowledge and give light to others, drawing near to God, taking Christ's yoke, developing gifts entrusted to them, continuing to search Scripture diligently and praying for wisdom to present its truths clearly, coherently and in an orderly way without letting moments go to waste. Personal visits, earnest conversation and prayer are urgent work to be done while mercy invites sinners, along with distributing literature, bearing a warning message to people of every rank, visiting homes, using books, and discreet persistent missionary service to special groups such as restaurant patrons and veterans and their wives.
The call applies to California needing urgent spiritual awakening and drawing near to God with wakeful careful life, spiritual sight to recognize Satan's snares and understanding of the Lord's will because the days are evil. It applies to Knoxville as a neglected place for work where earnest effort to address that neglect redeems the time, and to England where time is short and essential work must be done quickly despite obstacles. It applies to the Huntsville and Madison schools where long-delayed help makes earnest effort to recover lost time necessary, and where mistakes in an institution's location, building or management should not lead to discouragement or weaker effort but should teach useful lessons and spur renewed energy to accomplish the work.
Faithfulness in Daily Life
Redeeming the time because the days are evil guides every married man and every married woman, calling each one to search the heart as with a lighted candle and to walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, proving what is acceptable to the Lord, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reproving them, and awaking from sleep that Christ may give light. It gives the only way husband and wife can glorify God in their united life, requiring lifelong faithfulness to each other and self-sacrifice that brings truest happiness and highest perfection of character. The husband is to act as houseband of the family and priest of his home, loving and cherishing his wife, while the wife respects and loves her husband, with both submitting to one another in the fear of God, avoiding drunkenness, being filled with the Spirit, speaking in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and giving thanks always for all things to God in the name of Jesus Christ. This includes living by Scripture rather than merely professing it, setting a godly example in family duties and daily habits. Present opportunities for Christ are to be used to bring happiness, light, peace, and love into home life and to develop Christian character that will stand the test of the judgment.
Parents who have neglected, indulged, or wrongly trained their children must repent, begin with themselves, and at once use remaining time with far greater earnestness to teach children to come to Christ. There is no time to lose in repenting of neglected parental duties and training children for the coming crisis and conflict, praying for clearer spiritual understanding and obeying the Holy Spirit, under whose guidance heavenly angels help parents teach their children. Fathers and mothers who have indulged their children to their hurt and given imperfect service through unconverted influence must understand their failure and make good use of the present time while it is called Today, and upon such repentance the Lord pardons and unites His working with their efforts, so that God is enthroned in conscience and truth occupies the citadel of the soul. The present time is to be spent preparing oneself and one's children for immortal life and seeking the salvation of the household, with the hope of the crown of immortal glory. For a mother who has neglected early training, redeeming lost time is the greatest work she can now do, done by humbly and prayerfully taking up neglected lifework at once without losing another day, giving due attention to their education, initiating a daughter immediately into life's duties and useful labor, and leaving a position that prevents that care where children cannot be properly controlled and trained and are exposed to harm. Such parents must work ten times stronger than if they had not neglected them, telling their children that Jesus loves them and teaching them how to come to Christ and believe, because children do not know how to believe when parents are reluctant to speak of religious things, and doing this brings the blessing of God and a sight of His salvation.
Young people and students must use time and abilities responsibly for God, walking wisely, understanding the Lord's will, and obeying God's Word rather than wasting time and opportunities. They have no time to lose and must faithfully build solid character by consecrating themselves every day to the service of God, submitting to Christ so the Holy Spirit molds them to His likeness, turning away from holidays spent in idleness and money spent in self-gratification, and showing love for God and fellow beings by earnest, thoughtful, self-sacrificing efforts to help where help is needed, willing to spend and be spent even to losing life in service, with assurance of finding life again when Christ comes to gather His jewels. They are accountable to God for how they use each moment, using it purposefully for good rather than wasting it in idleness or selfish amusement, while rest and recreation can be appropriate and helpful work can refresh a person while serving others. Spending much time on light novels, even losing sleep to finish them, wastes time that should go to useful work and devotion to God and also wrongs parents, to whom that time belongs. Time is golden and must be redeemed by giving the heart to Christ at once, before other interests preoccupy the mind, pouring in redeeming love, seeking Christ and His righteousness, closing the door to foolish aspirations, preparing the mind for divine truth, learning it is perilous to think wild oats can be sown without reaping woe and ruin, being sober-minded, admiring good in others, and placing the will on God's side. Time and opportunities are precious and passing, so students should not spend them in self-pleasing but should strive earnestly to make student life as successful as possible through diligent study, economizing hours, useful manual training, helpful service, and avoiding idle conversation, unprofitable games, courting, frivolous amusement, and sleeping late.
Time is a gift from God to be used for His glory and to bless others, and hours spent in selfish pleasure, idleness, sloth, and trifling indulgence are wasted and lost for eternity. Indolence and lazy habits must be corrected, showing through a reformed life that the truth has changed conduct. Even when weary from one kind of work, a person can choose a less exhausting task that helps others, and such useful changes of activity can refresh the weary while making every moment count for good.
Redeeming the time means ending dishonest and oppressive dealings, withholding of fair wages, and covetous exploitation of poor or distressed people, and instead acting quickly to take a wholly different, honest course. Those who have acted dishonestly must work quickly to become strictly honest and honorable in the time left. The limited time is to be used for thorough, diligent, careful conduct in business, with no stain on Christian character.
The time still granted in probation is precious and must be used to form a right character and put away accumulated errors, wrongs, and defects of character through earnest victories over self and dependence on God's saving strength, not one's own. Both must bring lives into harmony with God, repenting of hardness of heart and seeking control of spirit through God's Spirit, so as to be prepared for eternity amid surrounding perils and perplexities. While life lasts it is not too late to right wrongs and stop rebellion against God and stealing the heart from God, by turning, being converted in soul and body and spirit, returning to Jesus and giving Him all the powers, opening the door and letting Jesus come in, and seeking the Lord with the humility of a little child. Then, united with Christ, a person sets to work in a work no one else can do for him, making every personal effort for personal culture and training of principle, with God working with every effort to raise the moral tone, for if character is not transformed the person is eternally lost. Present opportunity must be used to stop spending time pitying self, dreaming of what might be done, imagining new enterprises for surplus means, and mourning a past life spoiled by refusing advice, and instead to buckle on the armor, take up and bear shunned responsibilities, prize counsel, improve in many ways, learn daily to bear responsibilities, yoke up with Christ, and produce fruit for the Master without repeating past failure. This requires improving God-given privileges to advance in the divine life, cultivating faithfulness in littles and performing little duties well to receive the heavenly Father's commendation, with no time to lose, arousing oneself to take hold of the work as never before and making thorough work without rest until radical change is made. Spare moments can be devoted to reading, study, meditation, and prayer, including while traveling or waiting, committing Scripture to memory, tracing fulfilled prophecies, and learning Christ's lessons to guard against temptation. Thought must be reclaimed from temporal concerns for the eternal, the will yielded to Christ, the mind renewed and transformed, and exaggeration, much talking, self-will, and rebellion overcome by deliberate effort.
In institutions such as the Health Retreat at St. Helena, redeeming the time because the days are evil requires careful, wise conduct according to Christlike principles rather than taking part in darkness, and understanding and doing the Lord's will. It requires a regenerating power and spiritual life, education after the Divine mind and will rather than surface work with the heart uninstructed, living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, refusing inspiration from those bitter against the truth, putting away lying, criticizing and judging of brethren whom Christ teaches to respect, love and esteem better than self, and learning the first principles of loving one another as Christ loved. Moral power comes not by inheritance but by a minute-by-minute fight of faith unto the higher wisdom that is first pure then peaceable and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, receiving hearts of flesh in place of hearts of stone to be converted and saved unto eternal life. It means arousing and striving with the Lord's help to put away evils now existing by complete reformation in all institutions, seeking to make up for twenty-five years of neglect of duty whose guilt rests upon the whole camp even though multiplied men and means and good deeds cannot fully retrieve past losses. This corrects the enfeebling of spiritual life by centralization and commercialism, the loss of distinguishing Christian characteristics, the enthroning of the enemy's works and worldly business principles brought in through unconsecrated men, and great blindness of perception, acting urgently while opportunity to recover remains through staunch, faithful, converted workers sanctified through the truth, putting away deception, fraud, and sin.
Time is short and lost time must be made up by employing the little time left for present and eternal good through active Christian service and doing all possible good, using every capability and God-given talents of influence and money for the Lord Jesus Christ with a truly converted heart. This means seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, which then gives something to impart in good works and cheerful, consecrated influence, laying up treasures in heaven by binding means in the work of God, viewing life's realities in their true bearings, and setting an example that helps children use their talents to God's glory, with old age giving peculiar opportunity to be a channel of light by precept and example. Entrusted wealth is to advance God's work and build up Christ's kingdom rather than being spent selfishly or allowed to be misused. Although little time remains, children can still be saved and established in the truth so they are prepared for severe conflicts soon to come. After past neglect and shortcoming in educating youth and children, lost time is now to be made up by starting church schools under wise direction so children and youth are educated in their own churches, using facilities Providence has abundantly supplied, after years when schools should have been in operation in many localities to give character to the work and supply representatives of the truth.
Doctrine of Last Opportunity
To redeem the time is to act now with diligence in the day of opportunity given by God's light and warning, heeding rather than spurning it, for if it is let pass the one who neglects it goes on into impenetrable darkness. Careless lost time cannot afterward be made up, so the call is to be diligent now about personal salvation and to be alarmed over carelessness. That diligence means yielding will, wishes, desires, and pleasure to the will of God, being willing to suffer anything for His cause, feeling concern for the suffering cause and for perishing souls, and realizing the worth of heaven and of the soul. It remembers that Christ is soon coming and all will be judged according to deeds done in the body, and that God reads thoughts and knows unreconciled, willful feelings.
To redeem the time is also to arouse and, with the Lord's help, strive to put away evils now existing by complete reformation in all institutions, acting urgently while opportunity to recover remains. The work seeks to make up for twenty-five years of neglect of duty whose guilt rests upon the whole camp, even though multiplied men and means and good deeds cannot fully retrieve past losses. What must be corrected is the enfeebling of spiritual life by centralization and commercialism, the loss of distinguishing Christian characteristics, the enthroning of the enemy's works and worldly business principles brought in through unconsecrated men, and great blindness of perception. It requires staunch, faithful, converted workers who are sanctified through the truth, putting away centralization, commercialism, worldly business principles, deception, fraud, and sin that enfeeble spiritual life and destroy distinguishing Christian character.
Redeeming the time means making the most of the time that remains, because time already lost cannot be recovered. Time is God's gift and talent, bought by Christ's blood and entrusted to people to use for His glory and to bless others, not for self-pleasing. The days are evil because sin, wickedness, moral darkness, confusion, and perils are increasing, with the final conflict near, probation closing, and the end approaching. Therefore the call is to walk circumspectly, carefully, and watchfully, not as fools but as wise, understanding what the will of the Lord is and living as children of light. The opportunity is short, precious, and passing, so there must be immediate decision and action without delay, for people are accountable not only for wrongs avoided but for the good they could have done and neglected, and are to put all God-given capabilities into saving souls.
Meaning of Redeeming Time
Redeeming the time means making the most of the time that remains, because time once lost can never be recovered. What is gone is gone, so the only redemption possible is earnest, reformed use of the present by becoming as zealous in good works as one has been negligent in duty and by doubling diligence to make calling and election sure. This is done by losing sight of self and personal ease and pleasure, beginning even now in this late period to work earnestly for God, leaving harmful associations, drawing near to God and His people, and using influence to help others follow Christ rather than turn them away. It is working with God in His great plan of redemption, which changes the character and fits a person to be a child of God and a companion of angels, with every moment spent for eternal interests and the salvation of others.
Time so redeemed must be wisely improved because probation moments are more precious than gold and their right use decides a share in the reward of the righteous at last. Opportunities lost through an unconsecrated life cannot be undone, but through Christ's grace time is still redeemed by repentance, renewed consecration, and redoubled, untiring exertion to help people see Jesus and win souls to the Saviour. Time is God's gift and talent, belonging to Him, bought by Christ's blood, entrusted to people to be used for His glory and to bless others, not for self-pleasing. Hours spent in selfish pleasure are wasted and lost for eternity, while faithful, purposeful, useful service brings blessing.
Each person has God-given work to do, and the hours are precious gifts to be improved carefully without idleness and without rash haste, with strict accountability for withholding due service. The days are evil because sin and wickedness are increasing, moral darkness covers the world, confusion multiplies, perils press, disasters fall on great cities, and impending judgments warn that the most favorable opportunity has passed. The final conflict is near, probation is closing, the time for work will end, and the end is approaching, so the remaining time must be redeemed by laboring more earnestly to give the warning message while there is still opportunity. Amid this darkness God's people are to shine by godly lives that show the truth ennobles those who live by it, acting wisely toward those outside the faith.
Redeeming the time requires reform through earnest, persevering effort to correct past errors as soon as they are recognized. It means choosing life instead of death by taking hold of God's work as never before, enduring hardness as soldiers of Jesus Christ, letting truth elevate, refine taste, sanctify judgment, and make one more like Christ and heavenly-minded. This includes setting a godly example before children by restraining and disciplining them, submitting in God's workshop to be hewed and refined here, since the fitting-up preparation must be done in this life stroke by stroke in order to be found without blemish, fill a place in God's building, see the King in His beauty, and possess everlasting life. Even an aimless, nearly useless life can still be redeemed, for God helps those who feel their need of Him, and victory and salvation come through Christ's merits, the character robe washed in the blood of the Lamb, turning to exemplary living that blesses others.
The opportunity is short, precious, and passing, calling for right decisions without delay for time and for eternity, while it is still called Today. Wasted time means lost opportunities, so not even one day can be wasted and there is no time to lose in recovering what was neglected by repenting and using God-given talents in the Master's service. Ministers especially must use the present urgently to undo wrongs they have allowed to continue, because delay harms souls, and those who have received light must walk in it, be converted daily, submit self to the Holy Spirit, and carry the last-time message with a burden for souls. Young men and women must faithfully build solid character by daily consecration, submitting to Christ so the Holy Spirit molds them to His likeness, turning from holidays in idleness and money in self-gratification to earnest, thoughtful, self-sacrificing help wherever needed, willing to spend and be spent even to losing life in service, assured of finding life again when Christ gathers His jewels. Redeeming the time in this way can be done well, but only through deliberate, earnest effort.
Walking Wisely in Evil Days
Redeeming the time belongs to walking circumspectly, carefully and watchfully, not as fools but as wise, in sharp contrast to the darkened and foolish ways of the surrounding world. It calls for using time well because the days are evil, for careful conduct and wakefulness rather than neglect, and for proving what is acceptable to the Lord. This wise walk includes searching the heart as with a lighted candle, and it forbids conforming to common opinions and modes of thinking and practice.
The call is to awake from spiritual sleep and arise from the dead so that Christ may give light, receiving His offered light instead of continuing in neglect and darkness. Those who have failed to do the good they could have done through God's strengthening grace are to awaken and respond. Failure comes when the enemy is allowed access to the mind and his suggestions are readily received, bringing lack of spiritual power and great confusion, with mistakes that then consume precious golden moments in undoing the results of his working. Recovery requires confessing the sins that dishonored God, put souls in danger and wasted hours, and devoting those hours instead to proclaiming present truth, with regenerating power and spiritual life, education after the Divine mind and will rather than surface work with the heart uninstructed, and living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. It also requires refusing inspiration from those bitter against the truth, putting away lying and criticizing and judging of brethren who are to be respected, loved and esteemed better than self, learning the first principles of loving one another as Christ loved, and gaining moral power not by inheritance but by a minute-by-minute fight of faith unto the higher wisdom that is first pure then peaceable and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, with hearts of stone replaced by hearts of flesh unto conversion and eternal life.
Wise walking means walking as children of light who were once darkness but are now light in the Lord, bearing the fruit of goodness and righteousness and truth. It means having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reproving them by the light, with all that is reproved made manifest by light, and refusing even to speak of shameful secret things done in darkness.
The verse calls for being not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is, obeying His Word, learning from Christ how to do His work, and depending on Christ for restoring power, tact, skill and wisdom. This means not wasting time and opportunities but putting time and abilities to responsible use in service to God, with young people especially called to such stewardship. Understanding the Lord's will means not being drunk with wine but being filled with the Spirit. It means speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with melody in the heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another in the fear of God. This is the only way husband and wife can glorify God in their united life, and it includes choosing prayer and song rather than answering angry or faultfinding words with more anger.
This wise life includes preserving body and mind in health so they can serve and honor God, rather than wasting strength or clouding the intellect through harmful choices. It refuses life-destroying practices of those who are extremists in pleasure and selfish gratification and lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, including indulging inordinate appetite for unhealthful things, since doing so sacrifices health and truth and righteousness and eternal life. It excludes drunkenness with wine and indulgence in wine or tobacco, which are not essential to Christian growth, because intoxicating liquor places a person wholly under the control of the demon who devised it to deface and destroy the moral image of God. Making up for lost time means realizing how much is at stake and now putting heart and soul and strength into the temperance cause, so that great good will be seen as the result, giving a loud cry for temperance as at Portland, Maine, standing in freedom from all enticement to liquor drinking, refusing the terrible influences of saloons, and opposing license to liquor selling and the confederacy of evil for the support of the liquor traffic, lest many souls be enticed to ruin.
A life guided by the verse is marked by love, peace, and words that comfort and strengthen others. All who consent to be laborers together with God work in Christ's lines, exercising mental powers with purpose to make those within their influence wise and better, uplifting and strengthening the weak, and making straight paths for the feet lest the lame be turned out of the way. It belongs to growing together as a holy temple in the Lord, with edifying speech that ministers grace, with not grieving the Holy Spirit, with putting away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking and malice, with being kind, tenderhearted and forgiving as God forgave for Christ's sake, and with walking in love as Christ gave Himself. Redeeming the time means choosing close companions whose example supports devotion to God rather than associations that draw away from religious life and eternal concerns, using time well by following God's Spirit through deliberate effort devoted to Christ.
Accountability for Neglected Good
Avoiding wrong is not enough, for judgment measures also the good that could have been done through strengthening grace but was neglected, and redeeming the time means using time and opportunity actively for the good required because the days are evil. The call is to awake from spiritual sleep, walk carefully and circumspectly rather than in neglect, and receive offered light and bear expected fruit. Those who fail to bear fruit are recorded as wasting their place in service. Every professed child is bound to work as a missionary and use entrusted gifts to bring people to Christ, and those who leave gifts unused will answer for the good they could have done, so they must awake and labor earnestly.
Faithfulness in putting all God-given abilities, time, strength, influence, mind, and talents into burden-bearing labor as channels of light with heavenly agencies, instead of folding the hands as mere lay members, misusing gifts, or letting talents lie inactive until power to use them is lost, is written in the books of heaven. Despised privilege, wasted hours, and neglected duties are registered there to be met in the judgment, and refusal to work grieves heavenly intelligences and Christ who paid an infinite price for souls. To fail to become wise is to fail to redeem the time, while redeeming it means filling every hour with good deeds and diligently cultivating entrusted talents in earnest effort to do the divine will.
Unused abilities grow weak and decay, yet those who have fallen behind and lagged are given hope if they now stop wasting hours and neglecting duties and faithfully put remaining talents and powers to work rather than despair. Walking circumspectly as wise and not as fools means understanding the divine will and making good use of time, which is broken when the mind is opened to the enemy's suggestions, bringing lack of spiritual power, confusion, mistakes, and golden moments spent undoing the results of that working. Redeeming the time then requires confessing the sins that dishonored God, endangered souls, and wasted hours, and devoting those hours instead to proclaiming present truth.
Human life is a brief probation, more precious than gold, whose right use decides a share in the reward of the righteous, perfection of character, and fitness for immortal life. Time cannot be brought back, so making the most of what remains redeems it, and treating life as a working day in view of eternal life prepares for immortality, whereas without true knowledge of eternal life labor ends in nothingness. The remaining moments must therefore be used diligently in service rather than wasted in idleness or sloth, with forethought, wisdom, courage, and perseverance in carrying forward the work Christ left, especially in giving the last warning message of mercy and closing gospel invitation, since time and talents belong to Him by redemption through His blood and must advance His cause. The short span allotted on earth is to be used wisely because each steward will be called to account when the Master comes.
Even those who have slighted mercy and abused grace are not beyond hope, for long-suffering love still pleads with them. When earnest prayer is heard and an unfaithful life unprepared for death is spared, the new lease of life is opportunity to repent of unfaithfulness and use remaining time rightly, especially after leading others wrongly, since to die unprepared leaves the case worse than that of an unenlightened sinner. Time and talents given by God must be improved for His glory, and one granted renewed opportunity to live should repent and redeem the time by faithful service.
Urgent Work for Souls
Redeeming the time means waking out of sleep and throwing all God-given abilities, time, strength, influence, mind, talents, capabilities and money into burden-bearing labor for lost souls as channels of light cooperating with heavenly agencies for salvation, instead of folding hands as only lay members, misusing entrusted gifts, wasting hours, neglecting duty, or letting talents lie inactive until all ability to use them is lost. No moment is to be lost in using means for God and being rich in good works to lay up a good foundation for eternal life and lay hold on eternal life, because one soul saved in the kingdom is worth more than all earthly riches. All are answerable to God for the souls with whom they are brought in contact as one great brotherhood whose welfare must be the great interest, with greater responsibility where connections are closer, and no child of God is excused from taking part with Christ in saving fellow men, lest the blood of souls be found upon the garments of the one who failed to act and refusal to work grieve heavenly intelligences and Christ who paid an infinite price for souls. Faithfulness in this is written in the books of heaven, while despised privilege, wasted hours and neglected duties are registered there to be met in the judgment, and those who have been careless must now be earnest at once.
Opportunities lost through an unconsecrated life, lack of diligence and failure to appreciate God's work cannot be recovered or undone, but through Christ's grace time is still redeemed by repenting of neglected work, turning from self-pleasing, self-serving and worldly pursuits, frivolous conversation and unimportant reading, and using God-given talents in the Master's service with renewed consecration. Redeeming the time means continually renewing and increasing effort, deepening concern for those Christ died for, and working tirelessly and with untiring exertion to help people see Jesus and win them to the Saviour, especially as the end draws near and life nears its eternal outcome. Each good and right action prepares for further faithful action and bears fruit for eternal life, while neglected opportunities leave souls unwarned and unsaved, so the time must be redeemed urgently before it is too late, with not even one day to be wasted.
Because sin and wickedness are increasing and the most favorable opportunity to warn the cities has passed, the remaining time is to be redeemed by laboring more earnestly to give the warning message of present truth while there is still opportunity, making up for long delay with heart and soul and voice. Growing wickedness, disasters in great cities and impending judgments make the remaining opportunity urgent, so people in long-neglected cities must be warned now with the last warning message while there is still time. Those in positions of responsibility are called to obey the charge to meet the needs of the large cities without further delay, entering unworked cities quickly, organizing workers two and two, undertaking the work with new courage and zeal, and never ceasing the effort until a thorough work is done for the winning of precious souls.
In Battle Creek this urgency presses the present question of what believers will do now, calling them to awake out of sleep because salvation is nearer than when they believed, the night far spent and the day at hand, casting off the works of darkness and putting on the armor of light. It means acting urgently to do work left undone that could have been done if professed Christians had shown Christlike character, rather than continuing in wrongdoing. The time for repentance and faithful service is short.
For the Southern field and the colored people, redeeming the time means consecrating to proclaim the truth and the third angel's message and undertaking the work God has given, meeting the needs of millions of Black people in the South while leaving results with God. The pressing need leaves no room for further delay and lost opportunity must now be made up by immediate action, making up for time wasted planning how to avoid difficulties, rising to act while there is opportunity, and persisting courageously even in difficult places. This long-neglected field must be worked by preparing workers without delay, finding and training them, giving promising young men and young women the very best advantages to become teachers, supporting those best fitted and accustomed to the climate who can labor there without endangering life, raising a fund to educate men and women without regard to color, building schoolhouses and meetinghouses and employing teachers, instructing only small numbers in different places so as not to attract attention and bring harm, and carrying on every kind of missionary work sustained by liberalities in publishing books like Gospel Primer, Christ Our Saviour and Coming King, which when done willingly and heartily as a privilege brings blessing to the doers. God gives this opportunity, grants wisdom to those training workers to recognize them, blesses the efforts and cooperates with those who go to save souls.
The work is done by pressing into every providential opening as opportunities open on every side, with eyes anointed with heavenly eyesalve to see and sense them as wide-awake missionaries who see and understand the ways presented before them. Those who have had opportunities to learn the reasons for their faith are to share that knowledge and give light to others, drawing near to God, taking Christ's yoke, developing gifts entrusted to them, continuing to search Scripture diligently and praying for wisdom to present its truths clearly, coherently and in an orderly way without letting moments go to waste. Personal visits, earnest conversation and prayer are urgent work to be done while mercy invites sinners, along with distributing literature, bearing a warning message to people of every rank, visiting homes, using books, and discreet persistent missionary service to special groups such as restaurant patrons and veterans and their wives.
The call applies to California needing urgent spiritual awakening and drawing near to God with wakeful careful life, spiritual sight to recognize Satan's snares and understanding of the Lord's will because the days are evil. It applies to Knoxville as a neglected place for work where earnest effort to address that neglect redeems the time, and to England where time is short and essential work must be done quickly despite obstacles. It applies to the Huntsville and Madison schools where long-delayed help makes earnest effort to recover lost time necessary, and where mistakes in an institution's location, building or management should not lead to discouragement or weaker effort but should teach useful lessons and spur renewed energy to accomplish the work.
Faithfulness in Daily Life
Redeeming the time because the days are evil guides every married man and every married woman, calling each one to search the heart as with a lighted candle and to walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, proving what is acceptable to the Lord, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reproving them, and awaking from sleep that Christ may give light. It gives the only way husband and wife can glorify God in their united life, requiring lifelong faithfulness to each other and self-sacrifice that brings truest happiness and highest perfection of character. The husband is to act as houseband of the family and priest of his home, loving and cherishing his wife, while the wife respects and loves her husband, with both submitting to one another in the fear of God, avoiding drunkenness, being filled with the Spirit, speaking in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and giving thanks always for all things to God in the name of Jesus Christ. This includes living by Scripture rather than merely professing it, setting a godly example in family duties and daily habits. Present opportunities for Christ are to be used to bring happiness, light, peace, and love into home life and to develop Christian character that will stand the test of the judgment.
Parents who have neglected, indulged, or wrongly trained their children must repent, begin with themselves, and at once use remaining time with far greater earnestness to teach children to come to Christ. There is no time to lose in repenting of neglected parental duties and training children for the coming crisis and conflict, praying for clearer spiritual understanding and obeying the Holy Spirit, under whose guidance heavenly angels help parents teach their children. Fathers and mothers who have indulged their children to their hurt and given imperfect service through unconverted influence must understand their failure and make good use of the present time while it is called Today, and upon such repentance the Lord pardons and unites His working with their efforts, so that God is enthroned in conscience and truth occupies the citadel of the soul. The present time is to be spent preparing oneself and one's children for immortal life and seeking the salvation of the household, with the hope of the crown of immortal glory. For a mother who has neglected early training, redeeming lost time is the greatest work she can now do, done by humbly and prayerfully taking up neglected lifework at once without losing another day, giving due attention to their education, initiating a daughter immediately into life's duties and useful labor, and leaving a position that prevents that care where children cannot be properly controlled and trained and are exposed to harm. Such parents must work ten times stronger than if they had not neglected them, telling their children that Jesus loves them and teaching them how to come to Christ and believe, because children do not know how to believe when parents are reluctant to speak of religious things, and doing this brings the blessing of God and a sight of His salvation.
Young people and students must use time and abilities responsibly for God, walking wisely, understanding the Lord's will, and obeying God's Word rather than wasting time and opportunities. They have no time to lose and must faithfully build solid character by consecrating themselves every day to the service of God, submitting to Christ so the Holy Spirit molds them to His likeness, turning away from holidays spent in idleness and money spent in self-gratification, and showing love for God and fellow beings by earnest, thoughtful, self-sacrificing efforts to help where help is needed, willing to spend and be spent even to losing life in service, with assurance of finding life again when Christ comes to gather His jewels. They are accountable to God for how they use each moment, using it purposefully for good rather than wasting it in idleness or selfish amusement, while rest and recreation can be appropriate and helpful work can refresh a person while serving others. Spending much time on light novels, even losing sleep to finish them, wastes time that should go to useful work and devotion to God and also wrongs parents, to whom that time belongs. Time is golden and must be redeemed by giving the heart to Christ at once, before other interests preoccupy the mind, pouring in redeeming love, seeking Christ and His righteousness, closing the door to foolish aspirations, preparing the mind for divine truth, learning it is perilous to think wild oats can be sown without reaping woe and ruin, being sober-minded, admiring good in others, and placing the will on God's side. Time and opportunities are precious and passing, so students should not spend them in self-pleasing but should strive earnestly to make student life as successful as possible through diligent study, economizing hours, useful manual training, helpful service, and avoiding idle conversation, unprofitable games, courting, frivolous amusement, and sleeping late.
Time is a gift from God to be used for His glory and to bless others, and hours spent in selfish pleasure, idleness, sloth, and trifling indulgence are wasted and lost for eternity. Indolence and lazy habits must be corrected, showing through a reformed life that the truth has changed conduct. Even when weary from one kind of work, a person can choose a less exhausting task that helps others, and such useful changes of activity can refresh the weary while making every moment count for good.
Redeeming the time means ending dishonest and oppressive dealings, withholding of fair wages, and covetous exploitation of poor or distressed people, and instead acting quickly to take a wholly different, honest course. Those who have acted dishonestly must work quickly to become strictly honest and honorable in the time left. The limited time is to be used for thorough, diligent, careful conduct in business, with no stain on Christian character.
The time still granted in probation is precious and must be used to form a right character and put away accumulated errors, wrongs, and defects of character through earnest victories over self and dependence on God's saving strength, not one's own. Both must bring lives into harmony with God, repenting of hardness of heart and seeking control of spirit through God's Spirit, so as to be prepared for eternity amid surrounding perils and perplexities. While life lasts it is not too late to right wrongs and stop rebellion against God and stealing the heart from God, by turning, being converted in soul and body and spirit, returning to Jesus and giving Him all the powers, opening the door and letting Jesus come in, and seeking the Lord with the humility of a little child. Then, united with Christ, a person sets to work in a work no one else can do for him, making every personal effort for personal culture and training of principle, with God working with every effort to raise the moral tone, for if character is not transformed the person is eternally lost. Present opportunity must be used to stop spending time pitying self, dreaming of what might be done, imagining new enterprises for surplus means, and mourning a past life spoiled by refusing advice, and instead to buckle on the armor, take up and bear shunned responsibilities, prize counsel, improve in many ways, learn daily to bear responsibilities, yoke up with Christ, and produce fruit for the Master without repeating past failure. This requires improving God-given privileges to advance in the divine life, cultivating faithfulness in littles and performing little duties well to receive the heavenly Father's commendation, with no time to lose, arousing oneself to take hold of the work as never before and making thorough work without rest until radical change is made. Spare moments can be devoted to reading, study, meditation, and prayer, including while traveling or waiting, committing Scripture to memory, tracing fulfilled prophecies, and learning Christ's lessons to guard against temptation. Thought must be reclaimed from temporal concerns for the eternal, the will yielded to Christ, the mind renewed and transformed, and exaggeration, much talking, self-will, and rebellion overcome by deliberate effort.
In institutions such as the Health Retreat at St. Helena, redeeming the time because the days are evil requires careful, wise conduct according to Christlike principles rather than taking part in darkness, and understanding and doing the Lord's will. It requires a regenerating power and spiritual life, education after the Divine mind and will rather than surface work with the heart uninstructed, living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, refusing inspiration from those bitter against the truth, putting away lying, criticizing and judging of brethren whom Christ teaches to respect, love and esteem better than self, and learning the first principles of loving one another as Christ loved. Moral power comes not by inheritance but by a minute-by-minute fight of faith unto the higher wisdom that is first pure then peaceable and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, receiving hearts of flesh in place of hearts of stone to be converted and saved unto eternal life. It means arousing and striving with the Lord's help to put away evils now existing by complete reformation in all institutions, seeking to make up for twenty-five years of neglect of duty whose guilt rests upon the whole camp even though multiplied men and means and good deeds cannot fully retrieve past losses. This corrects the enfeebling of spiritual life by centralization and commercialism, the loss of distinguishing Christian characteristics, the enthroning of the enemy's works and worldly business principles brought in through unconsecrated men, and great blindness of perception, acting urgently while opportunity to recover remains through staunch, faithful, converted workers sanctified through the truth, putting away deception, fraud, and sin.
Time is short and lost time must be made up by employing the little time left for present and eternal good through active Christian service and doing all possible good, using every capability and God-given talents of influence and money for the Lord Jesus Christ with a truly converted heart. This means seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, which then gives something to impart in good works and cheerful, consecrated influence, laying up treasures in heaven by binding means in the work of God, viewing life's realities in their true bearings, and setting an example that helps children use their talents to God's glory, with old age giving peculiar opportunity to be a channel of light by precept and example. Entrusted wealth is to advance God's work and build up Christ's kingdom rather than being spent selfishly or allowed to be misused. Although little time remains, children can still be saved and established in the truth so they are prepared for severe conflicts soon to come. After past neglect and shortcoming in educating youth and children, lost time is now to be made up by starting church schools under wise direction so children and youth are educated in their own churches, using facilities Providence has abundantly supplied, after years when schools should have been in operation in many localities to give character to the work and supply representatives of the truth.
Doctrine of Last Opportunity
To redeem the time is to act now with diligence in the day of opportunity given by God's light and warning, heeding rather than spurning it, for if it is let pass the one who neglects it goes on into impenetrable darkness. Careless lost time cannot afterward be made up, so the call is to be diligent now about personal salvation and to be alarmed over carelessness. That diligence means yielding will, wishes, desires, and pleasure to the will of God, being willing to suffer anything for His cause, feeling concern for the suffering cause and for perishing souls, and realizing the worth of heaven and of the soul. It remembers that Christ is soon coming and all will be judged according to deeds done in the body, and that God reads thoughts and knows unreconciled, willful feelings.
To redeem the time is also to arouse and, with the Lord's help, strive to put away evils now existing by complete reformation in all institutions, acting urgently while opportunity to recover remains. The work seeks to make up for twenty-five years of neglect of duty whose guilt rests upon the whole camp, even though multiplied men and means and good deeds cannot fully retrieve past losses. What must be corrected is the enfeebling of spiritual life by centralization and commercialism, the loss of distinguishing Christian characteristics, the enthroning of the enemy's works and worldly business principles brought in through unconsecrated men, and great blindness of perception. It requires staunch, faithful, converted workers who are sanctified through the truth, putting away centralization, commercialism, worldly business principles, deception, fraud, and sin that enfeeble spiritual life and destroy distinguishing Christian character.