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Worldliness in the Church
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burdens of those who were earnestly and perseveringly endeavoring
to maintain their waiting, watching position.
I saw that it was impossible to have the affections and interests
engrossed in worldly cares, to be increasing earthly possessions,
and yet be in a waiting, watching position, as our Saviour has com-
manded. Said the angel: “They can secure but one world. In order to
acquire the heavenly treasure, they must sacrifice the earthly. They
cannot have both worlds.” I saw how necessary a continuance of
faithfulness in watching was in order to escape the delusive snares
of Satan. He leads those who should be waiting and watching, to
take an advance step toward the world; they have no intention of
going further, but that one step removed them that much further
from Jesus, and made it easier to take the next; and thus step after
step is taken toward the world, until all the difference between them
and the world is a profession, a name only. They have lost their
peculiar, holy character, and there is nothing except their profession
to distinguish them from the lovers of the world around them.
I saw that watch after watch was in the past. Because of this,
should there be a lack of vigilance? Oh, no! There is the greater
necessity of unceasing watchfulness, for now the moments are fewer
than before the passing of the first watch. Now the period of waiting
is necessarily shorter than at first. If we watched with unabated
vigilance then, how much more need of double watchfulness in the
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second watch. The passing of the second watch has brought us to
the third, and now it is inexcusable to abate our watchfulness. The
third watch calls for threefold earnestness. To become impatient now
would be to lose all our earnest, persevering watching heretofore.
The long night of gloom is trying; but the morning is deferred in
mercy, because if the Master should come, so many would be found
unready. God’s unwillingness to have His people perish has been
the reason for so long delay. But the coming of the morning to
the faithful, and of the night to the unfaithful, is right upon us. By
waiting and watching, God’s people are to manifest their peculiar
character, their separation from the world. By our watching position
we are to show that we are truly strangers and pilgrims upon the
earth. The difference between those who love the world and those
who love Christ is so plain as to be unmistakable. While worldlings
are all earnestness and ambition to secure earthly treasure, God’s