(259-260) THE been a peculiar fellow—first, a Lutheran, then an Infidel and the last thing an Evolutionist; but now, thanks to the Lord and you and Brother Senger, I am a Christian and am rejoicing in the truth. Praying for you, dear Brother, that our heavenly Father will continue his care over you, I am Yours in Christ to the Glory of God, E. Snyper. AN A man considerably below average height, slightly built, email. dark mustache, and with a noticeably crooked left leg, and walking with dimin. yood talker and well posted dovtrinally and knowing names of many brethren, has been imposing upon the friends in many places. He is skillful. He tell, of needs, but refuses money at first. Later he accepts money with many “on, NNNI BROOKLYN, N, “THAT HE MAY WATCH TOWER Y.. AUGUST 15, 1910 ESTABLISH YOUR HEARTS” Brooxiyn, N. Y. DEAR Srrs:— We were very much interested in the copy of the PEopirs Putrir, which was delivered at our door, and would like to have the issues which contained ‘Where Are the Dead?” and “The Rich Man in Hell,” as these are subjects of great importance to us and our friends. Wishing you success in your undertaking, I remain Respectfully, J. A. Stocum,—wN. Y. thanks and promises, and proceeds to look for other victims. Letters, especially from Ohio and Pennsylvania, tell of his good success as an impostor. Usually he wants a railway ticket, then later sells it. We should not be suspicious of everybody in distress; but we should generally content ourselves with supplyimy tood or raiment needed. No. 16 The Loid inahe iow to wmercase and abound in lore one toward another, and toward all inen, eren as ire do towaid you; to the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at [in] the presence |parousta] of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all saints.’—1 Thess. 3:12, 13. Not to singers are these words addressed, but to saints. Not those who have not the Spirit of Christ, the spirit of love, and who therefore, are none of his, does the Apo-tle exhort; but those who already have been hegotten of the holy Spirit of love, Inercase in love signifies that love already has attained ana cendency in the heart, a mastery in the mind, by which it is progressing, conquering and bringing into subjection all the thoughts and conduct of life. And this thought, that love is to inercase in the hearts of God's people, is in full accord with the general testimony of the Scriptures, that we are to grow im grace and in knowledge and in love; approaching more and more and attaining and maintaining the “mark? which Ged hath set hefere us as the standard of character for which he will be pleesed to award the prize in due time. Jt is as though a eistern were being filled more and more with pure water from hidden springs, until, increasine and increasing, if overflows with its abundance. Thus the Liord@’s people are to increase in love continually, until the love abounds or overflows in all the thoughts and words and conduct of life; not only carrying blesxings to their own refieshment of all with whom they come in contact, but also redoeunding to the glory and praise of God from whom this blessing is derived, The Apostie specifies only abounding love toward the brethren and towaid all, but this presupposes the love which, first of all, is due to God our Father, Nor is it to be exnected that any man will love his fellow-creatures to the extent indicated, uuless he has first learned to love his Creator, has been taught of hii. and hes to some extent become a copy of his dear Son. This is in thorough accord with the Lora’s statement of the full meaning of the Law, ‘“‘Phou shalt love the Lerd thy God with all thy mind, heart, soul [being], and strenuth, and [then] thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” No man can love his neighbor in this Scriptural sense, until he has first luved his God to such a degree as to be not only willing but anvions to do those things which are pleasing in his sight; for God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in Ged —1 John 4:76, One reason why love does not increase more rapidly, and abound moe thoreughly amongst God’s people, is that so many of them haye been biinded by the adversary to the real character of God. and under the misrepresentations of his character have been unable to worship and love him in spirit and in truth. Thank God for the light of the knowledge of himself pow seattering the darkness and permitting his children to sce him in his true light, in his glorious character! Thank God, the cyes of our understanding have been opened so that we cen now see through the deceptions of the adversary:—Rey, 20:3, The Apostle’s words, “Even as we do toward you,” are full of meaning and force. Paul and his associates were not teaching a Gospel which they did not appreciate and practise; on the contrary. they were exemplifving in their daily course of life this very abounding love. which, overflowing, was leading them to sacrifice their own interests and rights and privileges for the «ake of the Lord’s people everywhere. They were laying down their lives for the brethren—daily, hourly; they were sacrificing for the sake of others, opportunities and privileges as respected their earthly life, earthly pleasures, ete, It is with particular force, therefore, that they exhort fellow-Christians to follow after them in the same way of self-sacrificing, loving obedience, as imitators of Jesus. And so it should be with all who exhort others to walk in the way of righteousness and love: In order that their words may have foree and meaning they must exemplify them in their own lives. As they point to the ‘‘mark” of perfect love they must approximate that mark in their own daily lives, and certainly possess it in their hearts, their wills, their intentions. So whether they occupy pulpits. or whether they exhort others merely by the influence of their daily lives, they are living epistles read and known of all men who come in contact with them. The darkness may hate them, and say all manner of evil against them falsely. yet it must “take knowledge of them that they have been with Jesus” and have learned of him; that they have the same spirit, the same disposition of heart, however crooked their natural dispositions may be. HOW TO INCREASE AND ABOUND IN LOVE Ah, says one, I have been desiring to increase in love and to overflow it upon others for tliese many years; but I know not how to cultivate it. What shall I do that I may have this overflowing love? ‘The Apostle impliedly answers this question—that it is not what we can do, but what the Lord can do in us and for us. Tis words are, “Lhe Lord make you to increase and abound in love.” It is the Lord’s doing; we can accomplish very little for ourselves, and the sooner we learn this the better. The springs of our love must come from the fountain of love and grace and truth—from God, for “God is love.” We began to receive of his spirit of love from the time we made our consecration to him, and began tc live unto him, and not unto the flesh. He has various agencies and channels through which he is pleased to increase our love. and to cause it to abound and overflow and cleanse away the natural selfishness against which we, like all others, must contend. These channels of grace are represented to us under various figures in the Scriptures. One channel or agency is the Word of God; another is divine providence; another is the fellowship of the body of Christ, the saints. The Lord uses all of these agencies in causing our love to increase and to abound. First, his Word, the basis of our faith and hopes, is also the basis of our love; for by giving ear to his Word, we taste and see that the Lord is gracious; that the Lord is loving; and in proportion as we see his love manifested, and discern his gracious character, in that same proportion we have before us the pattern toward which we are to aim, and love serves as the incentive to our emulation; as our Lord expressed it. “Be ye holy, even as your Father, which is in heaven, is holy.” He is the pattern, and we are to copy that pattern as much as possible in our daily lives; but especially are we to have it as the accepted standard of our wills, our minds, The Apostle refers to the Word of God as water which cleanses us from defilements of sin and selfishness; speaking of “the washing of water through the Word,” by which the Bride is to be cleansed and made fit for joint-heirship with the heavenly Bridegroom. (Eph. 5:25-27) The Word of Truth cleanses our hearts by showing us our imperfections, in contrast with the divine perfections. And more than this, it [4662]
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