Life and Labors of Elder John Kline, the Martyr Missionary | Page 7

this class, they open their eyes, but they see not; they hear, but they
heed not. I think I have known a few such; and I fear the Lord said of
them what he said of Ephraim: "He is joined to his idols, let him
alone."
III. There is a third class, and they compose a great multitude, who
have, so to speak, grown up in the devil's prison house, and have grown
so used to his ways that they are willing to stay there. These may be
said to be bound with two chains. Their love of the world is one chain,
and their love of self is the other. I may be addressing some now who

are thus bound. Let us see. Jesus says: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This
is the first and great commandment. And a second is like to it which is
this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Does every one who is
now under the sound of my voice do this? Are you sure, my friend, that
you love God more than the world, and that you love your neighbor as
yourself? What proof have you to give of this? Jesus again says: "If ye
love me, keep my commandments. He that loveth me will keep my
words." There can be nothing more perfectly in harmony with human
nature in all its phases than these declarations of our Lord. Where is the
subject that is unwilling to render obedience to the prince or king that
he loves? Where is the loving child that refuses to obey its parents? I
tell you that obedience is the test and proof of love. Do you obey our
Lord Jesus Christ? Do you say "No"? Then, my dear friend, let me say
to you, in all candor and love, you do not love him. You may imagine
that you do, but your imagination on this point is a delusion. But
perhaps you are ashamed to confess him. Hear again what the Lord
says: "He that is ashamed of me and my words, of him will the Son of
man be ashamed when he shall come in his glory."
But perhaps you ask: "How am I to get rid of my chains?" Get rid of
them, my dear unconverted friend, just as Peter got rid of his. The Lord
is just as willing and as able to rescue you from the chains of sin and
the thraldom of bad habits as he was to rescue Peter from the chains
with which the Roman guard had bound him. The Lord came to him,
not in darkness, but in light. He brought the light with him. He never
works in darkness. Even when he was about to fashion the world, the
first thing he did was to throw a flood of light all over its wide, chaotic
surface. But the light which he caused to shine in the prison did not
wake Peter up, although it must have shone in his eyes. So he smote
him on the side, and no doubt shook him gently.
Peter opened his eyes and saw the light. The angel "raised him up,
saying, Arise up quickly." At the very first move he made to stand on
his feet, his chains got loose, and when he rose to his feet they fell right
off. This is the way you are to get rid of your chains. The Lord comes
to you as he is present now and says to you, "Arise up quickly, and

follow me." The very moment you firmly resolve to obey him in love,
that very moment will your chains begin to get loose; and when you
arise to follow him in the way his Word directs, they will fall off.
You may here see how the Lord works with man. It is said the angel
raised Peter up; and at the same time, while he had hold of him, he
ordered Peter to arise up quickly. This is just the way we would do in
trying to get one awake and up, whom we dearly loved if he was in
great danger. An infant we would pick up and carry out; but one in
health and strength we would expect to act for himself; we, at the same
time, doing what might be necessary on our part. Just so the Lord acts
with every poor sinner. He comes with light and he comes in love.
Sinner, I am sure he has come to you to-day. He is saying to you now,
Rise up quickly, and follow me.
And where does the good Lord propose to lead the sinner? He offers to
lead you out of your