Christ has sent out an invitation to every son and daughter of Adam, saying, “Come; for all things are now ready.” He has sent out His human agents to call men to the marriage supper of the Lamb. The experience that the believers gain in calling men to the gospel feast, in working in harmony with Christ, is of more value than silver and gold and precious stones. They proclaim the same message that John proclaimed: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” . . .

We were created to fulfill a higher and nobler purpose than merely to eat and drink, and to live to please ourselves. What infatuation, what madness, it is to refuse to partake of the richest feast that could possibly be furnished by our heavenly Father! How vain are the excuses offered for rejecting the message to come to the marriage supper! Men declare, “I will go on with my worldly pursuits. I do not wish to displease my neighbors, and therefore I cannot come.” Let men remember that they are commanded to follow the Lamb of God whithersoever He goeth. His guidance is to be chosen, His companionship valued above the companionship of neighbors and friends. It is too honorable, too precious, to be refused. We are to be willing to endure any reproach for Christ’s sake; for all who accept Christ must be made conformable unto His image. Shall we reject the grace of Christ, and put away the hope of salvation, and refuse to be partakers of the sufferings of Christ? Then we shall reap the result of our choice, if we persist in rejecting the invitation of His Spirit. Were the Lord to deal with us as we deserve, would we not be punished in many ways as stubborn, ungrateful children? But He is long-suffering, he does not deal with us according to our perversity. Instead of this, he offers to take us into partnership with Himself and with His Son. All may have life who will accept it; the world has been invited to the gospel feast. When those who were first invited refused the invitation, the master of the feast declared that none of those who were bidden should taste of His supper. But the banquet was not to be devoid of guests. He sent His messengers into the streets of the city, into the highways and byways, to compel men to come in, that His house might be filled. Men were to be compelled, not by force, but by the presentation of such convincing arguments that they would be constrained to come in. This compelling message represents the message that God would send to men to impel them to receive Christ, the world’s Redeemer. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” . . .

It is the Saviour’s love that constrains the messenger to bear the message to the lost. O how wonderful is the importuning of Christ with sinners! Although His love is beaten back by the refusal of hard, stubborn hearts, He returns to plead with greater force, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock.” His love woos with winning force, until souls are compelled to come in. Those who come to the supper turn to the blessed Jesus and say, “Thy gentleness hath made me great.” He wins them by the word of His love and power; for the word of God is the rod of His power. He says, “Is not my word like a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” When the word of God is sent home to the human heart by the Holy Spirit, it is mighty to the pulling down of the strongholds of Satan. Finite men could do nothing in the great warfare, were it not for the word of God. They could not plead successfully with human hearts, that are as hard as steel, that are bolted and barred, lest Jesus should find an entrance there; but the Lord endows men with His wisdom, and the weakest one may become as David by faith in God. The Lord takes those who are devoted to Him, even though they may be uneducated, humble men and women, and sends them forth with His warning message. He stirs their hearts by His Spirit, He gives them spiritual muscle and sinew, and they are enabled to go forth with the word of God, and to compel men to come in. Thus many poor, fainting souls, who are starving for the bread of life, are out of weakness made strong, and wax valiant in the fight, and put to flight the armies of the aliens.

“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.” Every time you turn away your ear and refuse to listen, every time you fail to open the door of your heart, you strengthen yourself in unbelief, and make yourself more and more unwilling to listen to the voice of Him that speaketh, and you diminish your chance of responding to the last appeal of mercy. Be warned by what the Saviour says; for they that were bidden to the supper and refused His invitation were not to taste of the supper. There is a point beyond which forbearance cannot go. Let it not be written of you, “Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.” Let not Christ weep over you as he wept over Jerusalem, saying, “How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” 1

When we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, we shall have no relish for sin; for Christ will be working with us. We may make mistakes, but we will hate the sin that caused the sufferings of the Son of God. A door has been opened, and no man can close it, neither the highest powers nor the lowest; you alone can close the door of your heart, so that the Lord cannot reach you. You have been having light from heaven for the past year and a half, that the Lord would have you bring into your character and weave into your experience.

The watchmen upon the walls of Zion are to cry aloud and spare not, to lift up their voice like a trumpet, and show My people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sin. When John came to Jordan, it was to arouse the people, to lay the ax at the root of the tree. Christ had not yet come to reveal Himself to the world, and John was to prepare the way of the Lord. He rebuked, reproved, stirred men up to repentance, condemned their sin, and then Christ came to pour the healing balm into the prepared soul. When the disciples of John were jealous because Christ baptized more disciples than did their master, he answered, “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice; this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” Do you think that John had no human feelings?—Of course he did, but he determined that they should have no control over him. When he had seen Jesus on the banks of the Jordan, he had said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!” . . .

God has set before you an open door; let not man seek to close it. Open your heart and mind, and let the Sun of Righteousness shine into your soul. How long will it be before the word of truth will have weight with you? How long will it be before you will believe the testimonies of God’s Spirit? When is the truth for this time to find access to your hearts? Will you wait till Christ comes? How long will God permit the way to be hedged up? Clear the King’s highway, I beseech you, and make his paths straight.

I have traveled from place to place, attending meetings where the message of the righteousness of Christ was preached. I considered it a privilege to stand by the side of my brethren, and give my testimony with the message for the time; and I saw that the power of God attended the message wherever it was spoken. You could not make the people believe in South Lancaster that it was not a message of light that came to them. The people confessed their sins, and appropriated the righteousness of Christ. God has set His hand to do this work. We labored in Chicago; it was a week before there was a break in the meetings. But like a wave of glory, the blessing of God swept over us as we pointed men to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. The Lord revealed His glory, and we felt the deep movings of His Spirit. Everywhere the message led to the confession of sin, and to the putting away of iniquity. 2

The religion of Jesus Christ means something more than talk. The righteousness of Christ consists in right actions and good works from pure, unselfish motives. Outside righteousness, while the inward adorning is wanting, will be of no avail. “This, then, is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth; but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” If we have not the light and love of God, we are not His children. If we gather not with Christ, we scatter abroad. We all have an influence, and that influence is telling upon the destiny of others, for their present and future good, or for their eternal loss.

All have lessons to learn in the school of Christ, in order to perfect Christian characters, and have a oneness with Christ. Said Christ to His disciples, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” He explained His meaning to them. He did not wish them to become children in understanding, but in malice. Little children do not manifest feelings of superiority and aristocracy. They are simple and natural in their appearance. Christ would have His followers cultivate unaffected manners, that their whole bearing might be humble and Christlike. He has made it our duty to live for others’ good. He came from the royal courts of heaven to this world, to show how great an interest He had in man; and the infinite price paid for the redemption of man shows that man is of so great value that Christ could sacrifice His riches and honor in the royal courts, to lift him from the degradation of sin.

If the Majesty of heaven could do so much to evidence His love for man, what ought not men to be willing to do for each other, to help one another up out of the pit of darkness and suffering? Said Christ, “Love one another as I have loved you;” not with a greater love, for “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Our love is frequently selfish; for we confine it to prescribed limits. When we come into close union and fellowship with Jesus Christ, our love and sympathy, and our works of benevolence, will reach down deeper, and will widen and strengthen with exercise. The love and interest of Christ’s followers must be as broad as the world; and those who live merely for “me and mine” will fail of heaven. . . .

A cultivated intellect is a great treasure; but without the softening influence of sympathy and sanctified love, it is not of the highest value. We want words and deeds of tender consideration for others. A thousand little attentions we can manifest in friendly words and pleasant looks, which will be reflected back upon us again. Thoughtless Christians manifest in their neglect of others that they are not in union with Christ. It is impossible to be in union with Christ and yet be forgetful of others’ rights, and be unkind to others. Many long intensely for friendly sympathy. God has given each of us an identity of our own, which cannot be submerged in another; but our individual characteristics will be much less prominent if we are indeed Christ’s, and His will is ours. Our lives should be, as was our Saviour’s, consecrated to the good and happiness of others. We should be self-forgetful, and ever looking out for opportunities, even in little things, to show gratitude for the favors we have received of others, and watching for opportunities to cheer and lighten, and relieve the sorrows and burdens of others, by acts of tender kindness and little deeds of love. These thoughtful courtesies in our families, that extend outside the family circle, help make up the sum of life’s happiness; and the neglect of these little things makes up the sum of life’s bitterness and sorrow. . . .

How little many of us realize the bearing of our daily acts upon the history of others. We may think that what we do and what we say are of little consequence, when the most important results for good or evil are the consequence of our words and actions. The words and actions, looked upon as so unimportant and so small, are links in the long chain of human events. With our first parents, the desire for a single gratification of appetite opened the flood-gate of woe and sin to this world. Would that all might feel that every step they take may have a lasting and controlling influence upon their own lives and the characters of others. Oh, how much need, then, of communion with God! What need of divine grace to direct every step, and show us how to perfect Christian characters!

Christians will have new scenes and new trials to pass through, where their past experience cannot be a sufficient guide. We need to learn of the divine Teacher as much now as at any period of our lives, and even more. And the more experience we gain, the nearer we draw toward the pure light of heaven, the more shall we discern in ourselves that needs reforming. We may all do a good work in blessing others, if we will seek counsel of God, and follow on in obedience and faith. The path of the just is a progressive one, from strength to strength, from grace to grace, and from glory to glory. The divine illumination will increase more and more, corresponding with our onward movements, qualifying us to meet the responsibilities and emergencies before us.

Real godliness is diffusive and communicative. The psalmist says, “I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart. I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation. I have not concealed thy loving-kindness and thy truth from the great congregation.” Wherever the love of God is, there is always a desire to express it. It is hard for us to submit to the crucifixion of self; but when the work is all submitted to God, to Him who knows our weaknesses and our sinfulness, He takes the very best way to bring about the desired results. It was through constant conflict and simple faith that Enoch walked with God. We may all do the same. We may be thoroughly converted and transformed, and be indeed children of God, enjoying not only the knowledge of His will, but leading others, by our example, in the same path of humble obedience and consecration. 3