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Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing
returns again. Everyone who has been free to condemn or discourage,
will in his own experience be brought over the ground where he has
caused others to pass; he will feel what they have suffered because of
his want of sympathy and tenderness.
It is the love of God toward us that has decreed this. He would
lead us to abhor our own hardness of heart and to open our hearts to
let Jesus abide in them. And thus, out of evil, good is brought, and
what appeared a curse becomes a blessing.
The standard of the golden rule is the true standard of Christianity;
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anything short of it is a deception. A religion that leads men to place a
low estimate upon human beings, whom Christ has esteemed of such
value as to give Himself for them; a religion that would lead us to be
careless of human needs, sufferings, or rights, is a spurious religion.
In slighting the claims of the poor, the suffering, and the sinful, we
are proving ourselves traitors to Christ. It is because men take upon
themselves the name of Christ, while in life they deny His character,
that Christianity has so little power in the world. The name of the Lord
is blasphemed because of these things.
Of the apostolic church, in those bright days when the glory of
the risen Christ shone upon them, it is written that no man said “that
aught of the things which he possessed was his own.” “Neither was
there any among them that lacked.” “And with great power gave the
apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace
was upon them all.” “And they, continuing daily with one accord in
the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat
with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor
with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as
should be saved.”
Acts 4:32, 34, 33
;
2:46, 47
.
Search heaven and earth, and there is no truth revealed more pow-
erful than that which is made manifest in works of mercy to those who
need our sympathy and aid. This is the truth as it is in Jesus. When
those who profess the name of Christ shall practice the principles of
the golden rule, the same power will attend the gospel as in apostolic
times.
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