Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org

sturdy."
you."
path."
chill-infested, malarial country, but when he entered
the city high school sallow cheeked and hollow chest
ed, there was a teacher there who was reckoned as
a crank on health. "One day he seemed to single me
out personally. With flashing eye and in tones I will
never forget he looked straight at me and said, 'I
dare you to be the healthiest boy in the class ....
I dare you to chase those chills and fevers out of
your system. I dare you to fill your body with fresh
air, pure water, wholesome food, and daily exercise
until your cheeks are rosy, your chest full, and your
limbs That was the beginning of a new life
for Danforth. He finished the course one of the
strongest boys in the class, but he was strong in
other ways too, for he carried that dare into every
sphere of his life. It became one of his aims to chal
lenge others as his teacher George Warren Krall had
challenged him. Successful in business, a leader in
Christian youth work, a trustee of Berea College, in
Y work in the First World War, he has lived his
years challenging men and women to 'better their
best.'
One of his many books is titled, "I DARE
YOU"
"Privately printed for my
and daring youth who may cross my
personal friends
All the
profits from the sale of this book are given to the
American Youth Foundation in Michigan. But thou
sands of the books have been distributed free to the
outstanding high school seniors who were recom
"
mended by their pastors. From his preface : T Dare
You'
is for the daring few who are headed some
where. Those afraid to dare might as wellpass it
up. It will weary the lazy because it calls for immedi
and amuse
ate action, it will bore the sophisticated,
the skeptics. It will antagonize others ... But into
the eyes of you, one of the priceless few, I trust will
come the gleam of battle as you read on. You can
be a bigger man than you are and I am going to
you."
prove it to
But the clock is daring me to meet the dead line,
so we leave the matter here for another time.
God's Sovereignty Is Basic in Covenanting
Rev. W. J. Sanderson
This can be no meaningless or idle word to those
who bear the ascription Covenanter with them daily
through life. The Lord came in a special
way to
this sinful earth for one chief end, to bring salva
tion to it. And God wants to make that salvation
as real and secure a thing as it is possible for Him,
dealing with free man, to have it. So he decreed
covenanting the most meaningful, the highest and
the strongest avowal that can be made in matters
of salvation. It is the most impressive pledge
by oath
which one may ever give another. Covenanting is
a Bible word and means more than an ordinary
promise and engagement. It is the most significant,
meaningful and impressive pledge which one party
may ever give to another. Covenanting is a twosided
affair ; comprising two parties, God and human.
It is a compact by which if certain things are done on
each side certain things are assured as real. Reli
gion or saving Christianity is proffered to the world
on the basis of covenanting. There is no salvation
apart from covenanting. God is a covenanting God
and the saved are a covenanting people.
The Bible, God's revealed will, is a covenanting
book. It has a double designation to this effect,
the two Testaments or covenants as the word im
plies. In the Bible Concordance I have, there are
370 references relating to covenanting. Approxi
mately two-thirds of them relating to men cove
nanting with God and one third of them relating
to God covenanting with men. It is not necessary nor
befitting that God renew the covenant often. With
Him it is everlasting. He once for all signed it with
the blood of the everlasting covenant. But in Paul's
day and even yet there are professors without un
derstanding, covenant breakers. (Rom. 1:31). And
if we would be saved from our enemies it might be
April 20, 1955
needful that we "remember His holy Covenant"
(Luke 1:71). There is no need that God be reminded
of His side of the Covenant of Salvation.
From the earliest prophets and God's revelation
for man's salvation covenanting is put down as a
basic stone, that the surety of that salvation may
ever be realized by any people. It is clearly manifest
that some do not realize it. But it is most obvious
down through all Bible history from Genesis to
Revelation in home, church and state wherever the
keeping of man's side of the Covenant "was mani
festly present, there was blessing and good. Then
it may be properly asked why is covenanting so re
quisite and needed.
1. God is the great originator of it and the pro
vider of all its terms
True it is that man had nothing to do with
starting the way or the means of salvation. It takes
two parties to consumate a covenant but as in this
one
only to formulate it. There has to be a pre
scribed form of covenant before it is acted on. God
says to all who would be saved "I will make an ever
lasting covenant with God avowed that if
Abraham were faithful and diligent that through
him salvation would come to the world in a great
Saviour, and because "he could swear by no greater
he swore by himself." Nothing in heaven or earth
could be surer ithan God fulfills His part of the cove
nant. His own concern for the lost, His eternal viracity
and great sacrifice confirm it. We can have no
stronger avowal of God's purpose.
II. A covenant is a two sided affair, God's side
and man's side.
And since God confirmed His side by an oath
many, who regard themselves as in full earnest
ness ought to do no less on their side. Hence the
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