Southern Baptist Missionary Journal, April 1847

¥ SOUTHERN BAPTIST MISSIONARY JOURNAL. VOL. I. APRIL, 1S47. NO. 11. I CAN DO NOTHING. So sometimes says the indolent believer, when urged to make some exer¬ tion for the good of souls, the spread of the Redeemer’s kingdom, the glory of God. So sometimes exclaims the humble, honest-minded Chris¬ tian, who feels that he would gladly undertake something for his divine Master, but is overwhelmed with a deep sense of his own ignorance, weak¬ ness and insufficiency. And sometimes, in view of the greatness of the work to be accomplished, the mighty obstacles that seem to forbid the pro¬ gress of truth, and the conversion of the nations to Christ, the boldest saint, the most experienced champion of the cross, may be ready in an hour of temptation and darkness, to say, I can do nothing. In one point of view, this sentiment is true in regard to every believer on earth ; in another point of view', it is true in regard to none. In ourselves we are absolute nothing- 'ness ; but in Christ, every Christian can accomplish something, — may do much. 1 can do nothing. Then we arc to suppose that God has converted you, my brother, for no other purpose than just simply to save your own soul from eternal perdition. If in no possible way you can do any thing for others, it is not reasonable that God should expect it, not consistent that he should require it, and not proper that we should say that he has delivered you from spiritual death, and blessed you with the light of life, with a view to any such end. Then it would seem, that instead of requiring you to let your light shine outward, he should simply have commanded you to let it shine inward ; that after having required you to attend carefully to your own interests, lie should have omitted all those precepts which impose the obligation to do good to others. I can do nothing. Then it is to be supposed, that as to yourself the promises of heaven arc a nullity, that all these arrangements of grace whereby provision is made for the aid of God’s ransomed ones in their con¬ test against the powers of darkness, are to be set down as things of naught. Then, as to your usefulness on earth, and the means to this end, the biblc reads, ask, and ye shall not receive , — be not weary in well doing, for ye shall nt v ел reap , though ye faint not , — be ye steadfast, unmovcable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for ye know that your labor is vain in 31*