It
implies that this is their only work, that the only business
they have on the earth is to glorify God in the world's
conversion. They are to do or say nothing, and be nothing, more
or less than is conducive to this end. To this their whole
being, time, influence, and possessions are to be consecrated.
In that solemn parting hour, Christ doubtless meant to give
them His whole mind in these few last words; Go, apply
yourselves directly to the conversion of the world, and finish
the great work which I have begun. I have given you the
example; let your eye too be single, and your devotion
unwearied and entire.--
Charles
Finney
Many are discouraged by the
present and past attainments of Christians. They are constantly
stumbled by the consideration that holy men of former and
present times have known so little of full gospel salvation.
They might just as reasonably let the past and present state of
the world shake their confidence in the fact that the world
will ever be converted. And indeed, whether they are aware of
it or not, I suppose they have as much confidence in the one as
in the other. They seem not to be aware of the fact that they
are full of unbelief in regard to the world's conversion, while
they are sensible that they have no confidence in the
attainableness of rest from all their sins in this
life.&emdash;The reason why they are sensible of unbelief in
the one case and not in the other is, the one is placed before
them as a present duty, in attempting to perform which they
experience the chilling influence of unbelief&emdash;while the
other is a thing which they have never tried to do, and which
they do not understand to be their duty to do. Consequently a
want of confidence in respect to this, is not the object of the
mind's attention. Certainly a state of mind that can be
discouraged by the past or present history of the Church, would
of course feel the same discouragement, and have the same
reason for discouragement, in regard to the world's
conversion.-- Charles Finney
THE PULPIT IS RESPONSIBLE:
Brethren, our preaching will bear its legitimate fruits. If
immorality prevails in the land, the fault is ours in a great
degree. If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is
responsible for it. If the public press lacks moral
discrimination, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church
is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If
the world loses its interest in religion, the pulpit is
responsible for it. If Satan rules in our halls of legislation,
the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become so
corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready
to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it. Let us not
ignore this fact, my dear brethren; but let us lay it to heart,
and be thoroughly awake to our responsibility in respect to the
morals of this nation. --Charles G. Finney, December 4,
1873
