“The Appearance of Evil”
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on the contrary, it sanctifies the believer, refines his taste, elevates and
ennobles him, and brings him into a close connection with Jesus. It
leads him to regard the apostle Paul’s injunction to abstain from even
the appearance of evil, lest his “good be evil spoken of.”
This is a subject to which we must give heed. We must guard
against the sins of this degenerate age. We must stand aloof from
everything that savors of undue familiarity. God condemns it. It is
forbidden ground, upon which it is unsafe to set the feet. Every word
and action should tend to elevate, refine, and ennoble the character.
There is sin in thoughtlessness about such matters. The apostle Paul
exhorted Timothy to diligence and thoroughness in his ministry, and
urged him to meditate upon those things that were pure and excellent,
that his profiting might appear unto all. The same counsel is greatly
needed by young men of the present age. Thoughtful consideration is
essential. If men would only think more, and act less impulsively, they
would meet with much greater success in their labors. We are handling
subjects of infinite importance, and we cannot afford to weave into our
work our own defects of character. We want to represent the character
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of Christ.
We have a great work to do to elevate men and win them to Christ,
to lead them to choose and earnestly seek to be partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Every thought, every word, and every action of the workers should be
of that elevated character which is in harmony with the sacred truth
they advocate. It may be that men and women will necessarily be
united more or less in our important mission fields. If this is the case,
they cannot be too circumspect. Let married men be reserved and
guarded, that no evil may truthfully be said of them. We are living in
an age when iniquity abounds, and an unguarded word or improper
action may greatly injure the usefulness of the one who shows this
weakness. Let the workers keep up the barriers of reserve; let not one
instance occur of which the enemy can make capital. If they begin
to place their affections upon one another, giving special attention to
favorites and using flattering words, God will withdraw His Spirit.
If married men go into the work, leaving their wives to care for
the children at home, the wife and mother is doing fully as great and
important a work as the husband and father. Although one is in the
missionary field, the other is a home missionary, whose cares and