The Cross of Christian Living
By James H. Morrison
BRO. WHITE: I wish to say to the brethren and sisters scattered abroad, that I love the truth dearly. I am trying to live so that I may be entitled to a home in the haven of rest. I have been trying to keep all of God's commandments, since last March; and during that time I have found it to be quite a cross to live the life of a Christian, ten-fold, comparatively, to all I ever experienced, while with the United Brethren; that being about a year and a half. I had, previous to this, wondered to myself who God's peculiar people were. I well knew to be a Bible Christian that there must be some cross to be borne, and some peculiarity to distinguish them from the world. The thought has often thrilled across my mind, Where is that peculiarity in the nominal churches? Where? The echo answers where? "Those that live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution." Every Sabbath-keeper can realize this. There is no cross of persecution in the popular churches of the day. If we wish to become popular in the world, and stand high in the eyes of the community in which we live, and be numbered with the upper ten, the first thing on the programme is to have our names enrolled on some of their church books. This is a fact worthy of notice, the contrast there is between their popular doctrines of 1865, and that of the poor lowly Nazarene of the first century. How many thousand ministers there are in this day that will make null and void their commission which they profess to have from the God of Heaven for the sake of a little petty office in the army or Government? I well recollect an expression of a certain brother, before I had heard the third angel's message. It was something like this. Said he, "There is one of two things true, either the world are all becoming religious, or the churches are getting so corrupt that there is no dividing line to separate the two." This made a deep and lasting impression upon my mind. It planted a seed in my bosom, which has germinated, though awaiting its favorite element to foster and increase its growth, and hasten it to maturity. My attention was first called to the Sabbath question by Elder Snook, about one year before I began to keep it. I only heard one discourse. I was requested by one of my friends to take the Review, and did so. In a short time I began to think the time long from one week to another to get it. I then got hold of a few tracts, which I read with great interest, though seeking for something to justify myself; but the more I sought the plainer the truth became! but ah, I might have sought and wept like Rachel of old, and not been comforted because it was not. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think that the first day of the week is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. But alas! "In vain do ye worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men." How different the Bible appears to be. What truth, what harmony! How brightly it shines! How brilliantly it radiates its glories! How confident I feel that that man does not live that can overthrow the Bible Sabbath. There has been every possible way taken to evade it; yet with all the sophistry and wisdom that men can use against it, it will beam forth like the golden rays of the noon-day sun, with such dazzling splendor that its opponents dare not face it. Oh how little zeal, how little love have I manifested! How I have mis-improved my time, and talents. How have I neglected the all important work to which we are called! How often have I called God's love and truth in question while at the very time he was taking the best possible measures to promote my happiness. We may think that we have faith, but is our faith a living and active faith? Do we show our faith by our works? Are we doing all we can for the cause? Do our works correspond to our profession? Are we overcoming our sins? Are we becoming sanctified through the truth? Can we answer these questions in the affirmative? If we can we can realize that we are doing the work of the Lord. I do earnestly desire to realize that we are living in the day of judgment. Oh, what a solemn time! We know not how soon our cases will pass in review before the tribunal of Heaven and our destiny be sealed either for life or for death. How important it is then that we stand prepared. Let us prove faithful until the end; for by the help of Israel's God we shall be able to enter the promised land. I want to enter through the pearly gates into the city, and walk her golden streets, where sickness, sorrow, pain and death cannot enter. Oh what a happy thought! It cheers me on while in this dark world. God has been very good to me all along the journey of my unprofitable life. I prize the blessings of present truth above all in this world—they grow brighter and plainer every day. They are a source of great pleasure to me. All that I know about present truth I have gathered by the wayside, not having been permitted to hear a course of lectures. I feel determined, by the assistance of God, to be an overcomer with the 144,000 which has the Lamb's Father's name written in their foreheads. "Hope is my helmet, faith my shield,
Thy word, my God, the sword I wield."
Yours, looking for the soon coming Saviour.
JAMES H. MORRISON.
Caloma, Iowa.