Prejudice by M. E. Cornell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 13, 1866

Prejudice.

By M. E. Cornell

THE prejudice manifested by many in this place toward us and our views, from the time we commenced our public testimony until the present, constrains us to call attention to the sentiments of Eld. Josiah Peet, who was Pastor of the congregational church at Norridgewock for about forty years, and whose memory is still loved and cherished by many people. We most heartily indorse the following remarks upon the subject of "Prejudice" found in his, "Occasional and Fragmentary Writings," as published in his Memoir, pp. 169-171; and we sincerely commend them to the candid consideration of the descendants and friends of their author, who "being dead yet speaketh."

PREJUDICE.

Prejudice is judgment beforehand. A prejudiced mind judges before examining, forms opinions of things before becoming acquainted with, or fairly understanding them. Prejudice may be in favor of an object or against it. As the term is more generally understood and used, it is against an object. It may originate in a native aversion, many grow out of ignorance, or spring from casualty.

Prejudice is of baleful tendency. It is injurious to him who indulges it, and is injustice to its object.

Prejudice is indulged by many against religion. Many judge and condemn religion without a fair examination; not taking the trouble to acquaint themselves with its nature and principles, its aims and ends. They know not what it is, but only know it is something of which they think ill. They regard it as a gloomy thing, not desirable; a thing without which there is greater enjoyment than with it. Many under the influence of prejudice, discard the doctrines of the gospel without a candid examination. They listen to everything unfavorable to these doctrines which they hear, but do not regard as entitled to much weight what they may chance to hear in their favor. The very name by which the system of evangelical doctrines is designated, is to many odious. A parish in Massachusetts gave a minister a call to settle with them, a man of good talents and unexceptionable qualifications. He wished to defer his answer till he could consult his friends. While he was absent, an influential individual suggested to some of the people, that their candidate was a Hopkinsian. "Is he, indeed? then it will not do to settle him." The candidate returned with a view to accept the call, but found that prejudice had been there before him, and he was not wanted. Said a woman, living in a plantation in this vicinity, that had not been visited by a congregational minister, "I really wish I could see a Calvinist: I should like to see how he looks." She imagined that a Calvinist must possess an uncouth visage, or be different from other men in appearance. Prejudice, in ages past transformed the humble and inoffensive disciples of Christ into the vilest of heretics and evildoers; ascribing to them a character so odious and wicked, that it was accounted lawful, and even a duty, to destroy them by thousands, and hunt them out of the world. It inflicted the most barbarous cruelties that malignant ingenuity could devise. For prejudice there is a cure—Divine grace is competent to its removal. It has cured many. How the Apostle of the Gentiles loved, and labored to promote these doctrines and that cause, which he had labored to destroy! Among the many to be employed for the cure of prejudice, a thorough acquaintance with the object toward which it is indulged is important. The scriptures furnish us with a notable example. There were strong prejudices existing against Jesus of Nazareth, and because he was of Nazareth, a place proverbially bad. Nathaniel, though a good man, was not free from the power of prejudice, and was led to doubt whether Jesus could be the Messiah if he originated in Nazareth, and readily expressed his doubts. "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" This was prejudicing, having the mind fixed beforehand, that nothing good could come from a place so wicked. Philip did not stop to argue the case and labor to convince him, that though Nazareth had a bad name, yet possibly something good might be found there, but invited him to come and see for himself, and judge according to knowledge, and not according to impressions he might be cherishing in his ignorance. Nathaniel came to Jesus, saw him, heard his word, found evidence that there was good in Nazareth, lost his prejudice, and became a disciple.

To that friend who has decided that we are wrong without hearing us, we say, "Go thou and do likewise."

M. E. CORNELL.

Norridgewock, Me.