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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
the renewed heart is to bring others also to the Saviour. Those who do
not possess this desire give evidence that they have lost their first love;
they should closely examine their own hearts in the light of God’s
word, and earnestly seek a fresh baptism of the Spirit of Christ; they
should pray for a deeper comprehension of that wondrous love which
Jesus manifested for us in leaving the realms of glory and coming to a
fallen world to save the perishing.
There is work for every one of us in the vineyard of the Lord. We
are not to seek that position which will yield us the most enjoyment or
the greatest gain. True religion is free from selfishness. The missionary
spirit is a spirit of personal sacrifice. We are to work anywhere and
everywhere, to the utmost of our ability, for the cause of our Master.
Just as soon as a person is really converted to the truth there springs
up in his heart an earnest desire to go and tell some friend or neigh-
bor of the precious light shining forth from the sacred pages. In his
unselfish labor to save others he is a living epistle, known and read of
all men. His life shows that he has been converted to Christ and has
become a colaborer with Him.
As a class, Seventh-day Adventists are a generous and warm-
hearted people. In the proclamation of the truth for this time we can
rely upon their strong and ready sympathy. When a proper object
for their liberality is presented, appealing to their judgment and con-
science, it calls forth a hearty response. Their gifts in support of the
cause testify that they believe it to be the cause of truth. There are,
indeed, exceptions among us. Not all who profess to accept the faith
are earnest and true-hearted believers. But the same was true in the
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days of Christ. Even among the apostles there was a Judas; but that
did not prove all to be of the same character. We have no reason for
discouragement while we know that there are so many who are devoted
to the cause of truth, and are ready to make noble sacrifices for its
advancement. But there is still a great lack, a great need among us.
There is too little of the true missionary spirit. All missionary workers
should possess that deep interest for the souls of their fellow men that
will unite heart to heart in sympathy and in the love of Jesus. They
should plead earnestly for divine aid and should work wisely to win
souls to Christ. A cold, spiritless effort will accomplish nothing. There
is need that the spirit of Christ fall upon the sons of the prophets. Then