Five Letters to Members of the Wessels Family in South Africa
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do the work assigned them of God, the children would co-operate with
their parents in the dedication of their time and talents to the service of
God. In this kind of education and labour the expenditure would not
exceed the receipts. Christian activity and growth of personal piety
will be symmetrical and proportionate.
Those who are most actively employed in doing with interested
fidelity their work to win souls to Jesus Christ are the best developed
in spirituality and devotion. Their very active working formed the
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means of their spirituality. There is danger of religion losing in depth
that which it gains in breadth. This need not be, if, in the place of
long sermons, there is wise education given to those newly come to
the faith. Teach them by giving them something to do, in some line of
spiritual work, that their first love will not die but increase in fervour.
Let them feel that they are not to be carried and to lean for support
on the church; but they are to have root in themselves. They can be
in many lines, according to their several abilities, useful in helping
the church to come nearer to God, and working in various ways to
act upon the elements outside the church which will be a means of
acting beneficially upon the church. The wisdom and prosperity of the
church casts a telling influence upon her favour. The psalmist prayed
for the prosperity of the church. “God be merciful unto us, and bless
us; and cause His face to shine upon usThat Thy way may be known
upon the earth, Thy saving health among all nations.”
Our Redeemer spent whole nights in prayer to His Father; and
the foundation of the Christian church and missionary activity was
laid in the very element of prayer. The disciples were of one accord
in one place, calling upon the Lord that the outpouring of His Holy
Spirit might come upon them. While the Holy Spirit is given richly
through various channels, the more we seek it the wider will be the
diffusion. Thus earnest work being done to save souls, there will
be constantly furnished us a necessity for renewed application to the
Source of all power; and thus there will be established an habitual
communication between the soul and God. The fountain of the water
of life is constantly drawn upon by faith, and is never exhausted.
The work is progressive—action and reaction. Love and devotion
to God will give activity to benevolence, and benevolence will increase
faith and spirituality. Oh how much we need heavenly wisdom! Well,
is it not promised us? “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,