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Prophets and Kings
of the professedly Christian world. Thousands who pride themselves
on their knowledge regard it as an evidence of weakness to place
implicit confidence in the Bible, and a proof of learning to cavil at the
Scriptures and to spiritualize and explain away their most important
truths.
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Christians should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the
world as an overwhelming surprise, and this preparation they should
make by diligently studying the word of God and striving to conform
their lives to its precepts. The tremendous issues of eternity demand
of us something besides an imaginary religion, a religion of words and
forms, where truth is kept in the outer court. God calls for a revival
and a reformation. The words of the Bible and the Bible alone, should
be heard from the pulpit. But the Bible has been robbed of its power,
and the result is seen in a lowering of the tone of spiritual life. In
many sermons of today there is not that divine manifestation which
awakens the conscience and brings life to the soul. The hearers cannot
say, “Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the
way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?”
Luke 24:32
. There
are many who are crying out for the living God, longing for the divine
presence. Let the word of God speak to the heart. Let those who have
heard only tradition and human theories and maxims, hear the voice
of Him who can renew the soul unto eternal life.
Great light shone forth from patriarchs and prophets. Glorious
things were spoken of Zion, the City of God. Thus the Lord designs
that the light shall shine forth through His followers today. If the saints
of the Old Testament bore so bright a testimony of loyalty, should not
those upon whom is shining the accumulated light of centuries, bear
a still more signal witness to the power of truth? The glory of the
prophecies sheds their light upon our pathway. Type has met antitype
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in the death of God’s Son. Christ has risen from the dead, proclaiming
over the rent sepulcher, “I am the resurrection, and the life.”
John
11:25
. He has sent His Spirit into the world to bring all things to our
remembrance. By a miracle of power He has preserved His written
word through the ages.
The Reformers whose protest has given us the name of Protestant,
felt that God had called them to give the light of the gospel to the
world; and in the effort to do this they were ready to sacrifice their
possessions, their liberty, even life itself. In the face of persecution