The Golden age. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1906-1915, April 22, 1915, Page 7, Image 7
April 22, 1915
This may seem like a cool and calculating way of
approaching a subject of such grave importance as
the Christian religion. In considering the question
of my personal salvation, my allegiance to Jesus
Christ, and my eternal destiny shall I calmly sit
down and count the cost of Christian discipleship
and deliberate mathematically on a profit and loss
basis to ascertain if the final results wi.l be such as
to justify my submitting myself to a life of cross
bearing? Yes, if I calculate by scriptural rules and
am guided in my conclusions by scriptural stand
ards. Indeed the Master Himself encouraged this
sort of thing. He does not want ignorant fanatical
friends who follow him blindly; he wants followers
who have been convinced by rational and intelli
gent considerations that whatever may be involved
in discipleship in the way of trials and hardships
and losses of various kinds, yet after all, the
Christian life pays such large dividends that the
final balance is decidedly on the profit side of the
ledger.
Peter once said to Christ: “Behold, we have
forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have
therefore?” That was a very human, and under
the circumstance, a very natural, sensible question.
The “twelve” of whom he was the spokesman, had
forsaken all they had to follow Christ. Possibly
they did not have much, but the little they did
have —their occupation, their homes, their associates
—they left deliberately and wil'ingly to follow
Jesus. “Now,” says Peter, “what are we going to
receive for all this? In other words, does this
thing that you call Discipleship pay?” Christ did
not reprove Peter for what might have appeared
to be a bold, selfish, calculating question, but gave
him and his fellow-disciples a grand promise which
forever set them at rest on this matter. “Yes,”
says Jesus, “discipleship is going to pay you well.
Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed
Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man
shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye shall also
sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes
(Editor’s Note : The following searching, ringing
declaration was written some years ago for The
Athens Banner by Rev. G. W. Colquitt, one of the
most beloved preachers in Georgia. Fixing these
“Eight Reasons” in tract form The Golden Age
asked permission to reproduce them. Send a dol
lar to Rev. G. W. Colquitt, Ingleside, Ga., and get
fifty copies to pass among your young men friends.)
Ist. I will not drink for the sake of the dead.
I have a father whose spirit I trust, is asleep in
Jesus, and I would not dishonor his name, nor dis
regard his example nor forsake his counsel.
2nd. I will not drink for the sake of the living.
I have a dear Mother, aged and infirm, who ten
derly cared for me in my childhood, and through
the years of my manhood, still watches with soli
tude the interest of her son that he may be useful
as a man, and be a comfort to her in her declining
years. I would not add one pain, nor one sigh, nor
one tear to the afflictions which age necessarily
brings.
3rd. I will not drink for my wife’s sake. I have
solemnly vowed before God to promote her happi
ness and to provide her a comfortable living. I
have sworn to love her as my own body, and to
make her interests my interests. I will not de
grade, dishonor and destroy her who left the pleas
ant home of her parents to share with me the for
tunes of life.
4th. I will not drink for my children’s sake. They
are innocent, and helplessly look to me for food,
protection and instruction. I would not inflict
wrong upon these helpless ones by depriving them
of these comforts and entailing poverty, want and
wretchedness, I would not make paupers, vaga
bonds and criminals of my own children. I would
not have disgrace and blackened memory curse my
name and family to the third and fourth genera-
DOES DISCIPLESHIP PAY?
By B. A. Loving in the Soul Winner.
Eight Reasons Why I Will Not Drink
Ringing Words For Your Young Men Friends.
THE GOLDEN AGE
of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses,
or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or
wife, or children, or lands, for My name’s sake,
shall receive on hundredfold, and shall inherit ever
lasting life.” (Matt. 19:28, 29). This certainly was
very satisfactory to Peter and his associates; and
as this same promise applies to Christ’s disciples
all through the ages, Christian discipleship ought
to be the most tremendously inviting proposition
before the world today. Just consider it for a mo
ment. Here is a guilt-edge investment, safer than
any government bond in this world, that guaran
tees 100 per cent.,(Jesus says “a hundredfold,” mean
ing 100 per cent.) The Supreme Ruler of the uni
verse emphatically declares it —you have His royal
pledge personally endorsed, and secured by the
Bank of Heaven. And this is not al. in addition
to the dividends guaranteed you on your invest
ment you have a most wonderful inheritance —He
says you “shall receive a- hundredfold, and SHALL
INHERIT EVERLASTING LIFE.” This “everlast
ing life” you receive as a gift—the other you re
ceive as a reward for faithful service, for the sac
rifices you have made, for the trials and persecu
tions you may have endured. Oh, say, with such
splendid rewards and with such a glorious inheri
tance held out to you what shall be your answer
to the question “Does Discipleship Pay?” YES, IT
PAYS.
“Godliness is profitable unto all things, having
promise of the life that now is, and of that which
is to come.” (I Tim. 4:8).
Did you ever think of what a vast assembly that
will be before the judgment bar of Jesus Christ?
“Before him shall be gathered all nations.” (Matt.
25:32). Yes, ALL NATIONS. That means all the
inhabitants of the world from Adam down to the’
last born child shall be gathered before that judg
ment throne. Did you ever figure that up? I never
did —it is too much for me. Today there are on
tion. I would not cast a dark shadow over the
life of a human being so near to me as my chil
dren by leaving a record written in all the crimes
of intemperance.
sth. I will not drink for my neighbor’s sake. My
example might influence him to drink and thus I
would be the means of introducing evil and sorrow
into his family and perhaps of leading him into
perdition. “Woe unto him that giveth his neigh
bor drink; Hab. 2:15.
6th. I will not drink for my business’ sake. It
unfits me for that diligence and- energy which are
necessary to success in business. It brings more
losses and misfortunes than all my attention can
counteract. It will finally bring me into disrepute
as a business man and cause good men to forsake
me.
7th. I will not drink for my own sake. It is
ruinous to health, peace and life. It impairs men
tal vigor and prostitutes the noble faculties which
place man in the highest order of intelligence. It
is the parent of the sorest evils to body and mind;
the source of the greatest unhappiness in the fam
ily and of the greatest crimes in the community.
Its hope and promise are evil, misery, degradation,
shame and ruin, and no good can come from it. I
will not drink lest all that others have usffered be
my portion.
Bth. I will not drink for my soul’s sake. It is
plainly declared in the scriptures that no drunkard
shall inherit the Kingdom of God. I Cor. 6:10
Eph. 5:5, and I will not drink lest I become a
drunkard and thus forfeit my hope of eternal in
heritance among the saints. I will not make a
wreck of my happiness in this world and in the
world to come. I would not be a miserable human
being that I may be a lost spirit in eternity. I
the earth approximately 1,500,000,000. They’ll all be
there. Countless bi lions have already died —they
will be there for “the earth and the sea shall give
up the dead which are in them.” Perhaps there
are countless billions yet unborn —they’ll be there.
All the inhabitants of every nation, kindred and
tongue will be there. Yes, it will be “a multitude
which no man can number.” Characters of every
description—real Christians will be there, hypocrits,
formalists, atheists, agnostics, the profane, the li
centious, the self-deceivers, will be there. The
man who has stood at the saloon bar will now
stand at the judgment bar to render an account
for the things done at that other bar; yes, and the
fellow who dealt out to him those soul-damning
and body-destroying drinks; also the fellows who,
with their influence and their vote, supported the
accursed liquor traffic, will be there to face the
record. The gambler will be there; the publishers
as well as the readers of ungodly literature, the
card players, the theater-goers, the Sabbath break
ers, will stand at that bar and give an account of
themselves. Yes, we will all be there —we who
stay away from church are going to attend that
meeting. We may not want to but we will be there
just the same. We shall be irresistably gathered.
All resistance will be in vain. You may try to
hide yourself and “call for the rocks and the moun
tains to fall upon you” but all attempts at conceal
ment will be abortive. The Bible says (Job 34:22):
“There is no darkness nor shadow of death where
the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.” The
Lord says (Amos 9:2): “Though they dig into hell,
thence shall my hand take them, though they climb
up to heaven, thence will I bring them down.” Yes,
the whole family of Adam will appear at the Judg
ment Bar of Christ. The thing that most of all
concerns you and I, my friend, is what kind of
preparation are we making. Shall we appear there
as a redeemed soul or an unregenerated sinner?
Settle that question NOW, and settle it right.
will not pervert my life and lose the glorious end
of my immortal existence.
THE MAN OF UNDERSTANDING.
“Thus said the Lord, let not the wise men glory
in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in
his might; but let him that glorieth glory in this,
that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am
the Lord.”
Man’s judgment can not be relied upon except
when guided by divine wisdom ; and when blunders
occur, it is because of acting through human intel
ligence without laying the situation before the great
Counsellor, who never makes a mistake.
Men and women are but grown up children, and
require direction from the Almighty Father as much
as a child of fewer years needs of parental over
sight and guidance.
When preparing for a long journey, we travel
more enjoyably, and with greater profit, by laying
out an itinerary and gathering advance information
regarding the principal points of interest along the
route; and in the greatest trip of all —that from in
fancy to old age —consulting the infallible Guide
Book, issued by the General Manager of the Grand
Trunk Line from Earth to Heaven, insures a “per
sonally conducted” tour all the way.
In this Official Guide is found, as a Foreword:
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean
not unto thine own understanding; in all thy ways
acknowledge Him, and He sha’l direct thy paths.
H. S. JENISON.
SAY ! !
YOU JUST CAN’T IMAGINE how much wo
need YOUR RENEWAL. If it is wartime
y M owd food for MIND AN™ ””
-Su oh page 13.)
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