Spiritual Opiates by Dudley Marvin Canright

California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Oakland, Cal. · Mar 4, 1875

Spiritual Opiates.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

THE Sabbath Recorder has the following sensible article on modern sermons:—

"The Arabs in the East stamp on their lozenges of opium the words Mash Allah—the gift of God. Too many of our modern sermons—too many of our Sabbath School recitations—all of which we somewhat ostentatiously call God's gifts, are only spiritual opiates for those who receive them. They lull the soul into lower satisfactions than God ever intended. It seems to be a growing policy of these latter times to talk altogether of the sweet love of Jesus, and the full grace of a forgiving God. But these are only soporifics to any person who has not yet seen his guilt as a lost sinner before divine law. The true gifts of God, like his goodness, lead to repentance. Oh, I do believe that what is more wanted in all our conversations at the present day than anything else, is a greater measure of thorough old-fashioned conviction of sin! Men are never so near to Christ as when they feel farthest away. Simon Peter never was so close to Jesus as when he said, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!'

It is time to have done with a great part of these soft lozenges of soothing address. Men are lost souls, bound to an awful eternity of woe, unless redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. If one is not ready to accept his Saviour on that basis, let him go on counting the cost till he will, be. We are bidden to 'work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.' God is not always to everybody alike, just—'dear Jesus.' We are exhorted to pray for 'grace whereby we may serve God with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire!' The devout Psalmist said: 'My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.' Sure we may be of one thing—it is solemn business to join one's self to the Lord Christ. Of all things ever for any mortal on the earth, bound to the bar of judgment and eternal destiny, there is only one thing more serious and awful than to be a Christian; and that one thing is, not to be one."

This is sound Bible truth. This sentimental, song-singing, love-sick talk in our modern revivals is not of God, nor does it lead to genuine conversion.

D. M. CANRIGHT.