A supreme privilege.

It is indeed a privilege beyond measure to belong to a Church founded upon divine revelation, presided over by the Lord Jesus Himself and conducted by a divinely appointed priesthood, and regulated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ—the divine plan of salvation. Not many people appreciate fully what a priceless blessing is within their reach. They clamor and struggle, sometimes, for membership in some secret brotherhood or other, which will avail them nothing when they shall pass into that other world; and they neglect—nay, ignore—membership in the open brotherhood of Jesus the Christ, which might be made to profit them much upon the earth, and which would give them hereafter free access into the larger kingdom of God. Is not the vision of man imperfect?

The true worth of membership.

Jesus, however, recognized the true worth of membership in the kingdom of heaven. "The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field," He declared; "the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."

These are pretty parables, but what do they mean? Why, simply, that a man who has found the Church of Christ should be willing, if necessary—indeed, he {168} will be willing, if necessary—to give up every material possession in order to attain membership therein. It is a blessing, of course, to possess sufficient of this world's goods; but it is far better to have secure one's place in the kingdom of God.

Conditions of membership.

This lesson Jesus taught always. To gain entrance into the kingdom, one must forsake all personal, unworthy ambitions. "The time is fulfilled," Jesus cried on His preaching tours, "and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." And when the disciples of Jesus would stop the parents from bringing their children to the Master, Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." This all teaches that to secure the coveted membership, we must not only renounce all the evils of our past, but we must put ourselves in the attitude of little children, eager to receive the divine word of God, and to help in its establishment upon the earth.

Single-minded loyalty.

Now, it needs no long explanation to show that those who have succeeded in placing themselves in the attitude of little children, are also in an attitude of single-minded loyalty to God. Jesus insisted that men must be loyal to God, and that, too, with singleness of purpose and singleness of thought. You have learned in your daily lives which associates you can trust and which you cannot trust. You know very well that if a boy's thoughts are always good, he is not very likely to become guilty {169} of any seriously wrong act. You know that if a girl's motives are good, she is not likely to become guilty of evil. Jesus knew these truths, too. He was anxious, therefore, that the minds of men should become filled with thoughts of God—that the dominating motive in their minds should be to serve God. For He knew very well that a man dominated by the motive of Godly service would be arrayed against sin; whereas, one not so dominated might easily be overcome by the wily suggestions of the tempter.

No man can serve two masters.

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is there will your heart be also."

When we learn that, in the Jewish belief, the heart was the seat of thought and intelligence, then this saying of the Teacher becomes plain indeed. It is impossible for anyone to have two chief centers of interest. If a man devote his thought and intelligence to the laying up of wealth, he will of course neglect his duty to God. For, said Jesus, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon."

A simple application.

Everyone knows how true this saying is. Let us apply it to some of our own likes. All boys............