It was at the ordination of the Twelve that the first step was taken
in the organization of the church that after Christ?s departure was
to carry on His work on the earth. Of this ordination the record
says, ?He goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto Him whom He
would: and they came unto Him. And He ordained twelve, that they
should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach.?
Mark 3:13, 14.
Look upon the touching scene. Behold the Majesty of heaven
surrounded by the Twelve whom He has chosen. He is about to set
them apart for their work. By these feeble agencies, through His
word and Spirit, He designs to place salvation within the reach of
all.
With gladness and rejoicing, God and the angels beheld this
scene. The Father knew that from these men the light of heaven
[19] would shine forth; that the words spoken by them as they witnessed
for His Son, would echo from generation to generation till the close
of time.
The disciples were to go forth as Christ?s witnesses, to declare to
the world what they had seen and heard of Him. Their office was the
most important to which human beings had ever been called, second
only to that of Christ Himself. They were to be workers together
with God for the saving of men. As in the Old Testament the twelve
patriarchs stood as representatives of Israel, so the twelve apostles
stand as representatives of the gospel church.

The church is God?s fortress, His city of refuge, which He holds
in a revolted world. Any betrayal of the church is treachery to Him
who has bought mankind with the blood of His only-begotten Son.
From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the church on
earth. In every age the Lord has had His watchmen, who have borne
a faithful testimony to the generation in which they lived. These
sentinels gave the message of warning; and when they were called
to lay off their armor, others took up the work. God brought these
witnesses into covenant relation with Himself, uniting the church
on earth with the church in heaven. He has sent forth His angels to
minister to His church, and the gates of hell have not been able to
prevail against His people.
Through centuries of persecution, conflict, and darkness, God
has sustained His church. Not one cloud has fallen upon it that He
has not prepared for; not one opposing force has risen to counterwork
His work, that He has not foreseen. All has taken place as He
predicted. He has not left His church forsaken, but has traced in
prophetic declarations what would occur, and that which His Spirit
inspired the prophets to foretell has been brought about. All His
purposes will be fulfilled. His law is linked with His throne, and no
power of evil can destroy it. Truth is inspired and guarded by God;
and it will triumph over all opposition.

Joh 2:14? And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:?
Joh 2:15? And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;?
Joh 2:16? And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.?
Joh 2:17? And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.?
Joh 2:18? Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things??

Act 2:42? And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.?
Act 2:43? And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.?
Act 2:44? And all that believed were together, and had all things common;?
Act 2:45? And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.?
Act 2:46? And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,?
Act 2:47? Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.?

Our churches are to co-operate in the work of spiritual tilling,
with the hope of reaping by and by.... The soil is stubborn, but the
fallow ground must be broken up, the seeds of righteousness must
be sown. Pause not, teachers beloved by God, as though doubtful whether
to prosecute a labor which will grow as performed.?Testi-
monies for the Church 6:420.
The church is God?s appointed agency for the salvation of men.
It was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to
the world. From the beginning it has been God?s plan that through
His church shall be reflected to the world His fulness and His suffi-
ciency. The members of the church, those whom He has called out of
darkness into His marvelous light, are to show forth His glory.?The
Acts of the Apostles, 9.
Let no church think it is too small to exert an influence and do
service in the great work for this time.
Go to work, brethren. It is not alone the large camp meetings or
conventions and councils that will have the especial favor of God; the
humblest effort of unselfish love will be crowned with His blessings,
and receive its great reward. Do what you can, and God will increase
your ability.?The Review and Herald, March 13, 1888.

Luk 15:11? And he said, A certain man had two sons:?
Luk 15:12? And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.?
Luk 15:13? And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.?
Luk 15:14? And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.?
Luk 15:15? And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.?
Luk 15:16? And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.?
Luk 15:17? And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!?
Luk 15:18? I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,?
Luk 15:19? And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.?
Luk 15:20? And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.?
Luk 15:21? And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.?
Luk 15:22? But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:?
Luk 15:23? And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:?
Luk 15:24? For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.?

Joh 14:5? Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way??
Joh 14:6? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.?
Joh 14:7? If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.?

Joh 17:1? These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:?
Joh 17:2? As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.?
Joh 17:3? And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.?

Mat 7:12? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.?
Mat 7:13? Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:?
Mat 7:14? Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.?

Mar 12:28? And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all??
Mar 12:29? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:?
Mar 12:30? And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.?
Mar 12:31? And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.?
Mar 12:32? And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:?
Mar 12:33? And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.?
Mar 12:34? And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.?

Gal 5:22? But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,?
Gal 5:23? Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.?
Gal 5:24? And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.?
Gal 5:25? If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.?
Gal 5:26? Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.?

?As if enshrouded in a cloud
of heavenly brightness, Christ pronounced from the mount of beat-
itudes His benedictions. The words spoken by Him were of an
entirely different character from those which had fallen from the
lips of the scribes and Pharisees. The ones whom He pronounced
blessed were the very ones they would have denounced as cursed of
God. To that large concourse of people He declared that He could
dispense the treasures of eternity to whomsoever He willed. Al-
though His divinity was clothed with humanity, He thought it not
robbery to be equal with God. In this public manner He described
the attributes of those who were to share the eternal rewards. He
pointed out in particular those who would suffer persecution for His
name?s sake. They were to be richly blessed, becoming heirs of God
and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. Great would be their reward in
heaven

?Those who
claim modern sanctification would have come boastingly forward,
saying, ?Lord, Lord, do you not know us? Have we not prophesied
in Thy name? and in Thy name cast out devils? and in Thy name
done many wonderful works?? The people here described, who
make these pretentious claims, apparently weaving Jesus into all
their doings, fitly represent those who claim modern sanctification,
but who are at war with the law of God. Christ calls them workers
of iniquity, because they are deceivers, having on the garments of
righteousness to hide the deformity of their characters, the inward
wickedness of their unholy hearts. Satan has come down in these
last days, to work with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in
them that perish. His satanic majesty works miracles in the sight of
false prophets, in the sight of men, claiming that he is indeed Christ
Himself. Satan gives his power to those who are aiding him in his
deceptions; therefore those who claim to have the great power of
God can only be discerned by the great detector, the law of Jehovah.
The Lord tells us if it were possible they would deceive the very
elect. The sheep?s clothing seems so real, so genuine, that the wolf
cannot be discerned only as we go to God?s great moral standard
and there find that they are transgressors of the law of Jehovah

The two restored demoniacs were the first missionaries whom
Christ sent to preach the gospel in the region of Decapolis. For a few
moments only, these men had been privileged to hear the teachings
of Christ. Not one sermon from His lips had ever fallen upon their
ears. They could not instruct the people as the disciples who had
been daily with Christ were able to do. But they bore in their own
persons the evidence that Jesus was the Messiah. They could tell
what they knew; what they themselves had seen and heard and felt
of the power of Christ. This is what everyone can do whose heart
has been touched by the grace of God. John, the beloved disciple,
wrote: ?That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and
our hands have handled, of the Word of life; ... that which we have
seen and heard declare we unto you.? As witnesses for Christ, we
are to tell what we know, what we ourselves have seen and heard
and felt. If we have been following Jesus step by step, we shall have
something right to the point to tell concerning the way in which He
has led us. We can tell how we have tested His promise and found
the promise true. We can bear witness to what we have known of
the grace of Christ. This is the witness for which our Lord calls, and
for want of which the world is perishing

Joh_13:34? A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh_13:35? By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Joh 15:12? This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.?
Joh 15:13? Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.?
Joh 15:14? Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.?
Joh 15:15? Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.?
Joh 15:16? Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.?
Joh 15:17? These things I command you, that ye love one another.?

1Pe_1:22? Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

1Jn_4:7? Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.