It is a great favor to know where we are, and a greater favor to be sure we are where and what we ought to be in the Divine sight.
Christ said, "Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you." [John 15:14.] To be a friend of the Lord Jesus it looks as though we should know His commandments, not simply the ten commandments and others we find in the scriptures, all of which are good, but to be His child we must know His will, and there will be many exigencies of life that need an especial command, an especial knowledge of His will.
We know, do we not? in this way the Religious Society of Friends was raised up in the beginning from the lo heres and lo theres, and in a time of persecution under which they proved all things to see if they were willing to pay the price and would be supported by it.
We in this day are living in a time of liberty, not only religious liberty, but as a people of great personal liberty, and in this liberty are we not departing from much that was taken up through suffering by the sons of the glorious morning of our people?
They were the people of God, were they not? there was power with them, for God was among them, and honored them with His presence, for it is written, "Them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed." I Samuel 2:30. Now the question should be ours to ask ourselves, the descendants of God's people: Are we His people? Is He with us? Is He with us to the extent as He was with them at first?
Perhaps we may admit regretfully that He is not, and if we know He is not, then would it not be well earnestly to enquire why He is not. Were the old Friends wrong in their abstemious lives? in their plainness? in their self denials? their resignation? their non-observance of the world's ways, its pastimes, days and times? their conscientious adhering to the plain language, the scripture language the language that God spake?
We admit without question that God was with them, they were styled and called themselves God's people, and were respected as such, even the father of William Penn, a persecutor of his son, could finally say to him in that remarkable statement, "Son William, if you and your friends keep to your plain way of preaching and your plain way of living, you will make an end of the priests to the end of the world."
It has been stated by an ear witness, that London Yearly Meeting recently spent considerable time on the subject of power in their ministry, feeling they had lost it and how to regain it.(1) The question of losing the power is a serious one, for as a people we have nothing if we have not the presence, which means the power of God in our midst, His guidance, enlightenment, preservation, and ability which He alone can give to display the banner given us because of the Truth. It was the testimony of that remarkable Peter Gardener, (Friend's Library, vol. 6, page 241, footnotes by J. Barclay) in that memorable visit to Scotland, in a letter written to Friends of Aberdeen. "Do not despise the day of small things! For whosoever despiseth the day of small things in themselves or others, a withering day will certainly come upon them." Also the prophetic statement of Joseph Hoag. "There is no sin so hardening to the heart and searing to the conscience, as the sin against light and knowledge."
I am concerned for the arising of our people here in Ohio, and in fact everywhere, that we may not merely be a semblance, but a pure people, that we may one and all return to the faithfulness of our forefathers. We who are older to live nearer to our Heavenly Father, clean in our presence, meet with us to our comfort and His glory. That our younger people may seek Him in the way He is to be found, go not unto other people to find comfort, but keep near to the older Friends and be a help and encouragement to them, walking together hand in hand that the full blessing of God may rest upon us, for it will not be to the same extent unless our children are with us, that we may be enabled to say, Here am I Lord and the children which thou gavest me.
As we are thus seen to be a prosperous people, then others may be led to come and cast in their lots with us, for we surely should be and are intended to be a growing people, not by our own efforts, but through obedience to the Light of Christ, who will become the diadem and beauty of every rightly gathered assembly.
In such meetings we believe as of old, there will be raised up a living Gospel ministry, for God still needs a mouth piece to His praise. May God's blessing rest upon the honest effort of any one in this exercise, that by such joint faithfulness we may be enabled to, "Come up out of the wilderness, clean as the sun, fair as the moon, and terrible as an army with banners, leaning upon the arm of her beloved."(2)
In love to all, your friend,
1. 2.