Doubt by Jos. Clark

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 31, 1866

Doubt.

By Jos. Clark

THE Bible speaks of the fearful and unbelieving; no doubt referring to those who fear to believe what God has spoken; the world are in this condition, they want a demonstration, and when it is granted, they are as dissatisfied as ever. Doubts creep into the mind on spiritual matters, and one being admitted, a host follow.

John Bunyan in his Holy War, writes of a class of enemies, most dangerous to the town of Mansoul, called doubters; and they act as spies, and are very active agents in subverting the city, as he terms it in his book.

Lately, I have been reading a little of the doings of Snook and Brinkerhoff, against the truths they once loved; and I confess it causes surprise in my mind, that those who were once so zealous could undergo so rapid a transformation, as to sentiment; and not only disbelieve the truth, but publish their darkness to the world, with such industry and zeal.

But I am still more surprised that they should venture in so leaky and rickety a craft as this one which has been tried to the loss of so many; that is, the ship of doubt and unbelief. All their objections seem to me puerile, and many of them unworthy of a common county pettifogger.

Even a child who is versed in the language of prophecy, would understand correctly what they seem to estimate as valid objections to the truth. I need not mention them as they are being fully investigated in the Review.

God is raising up, advocates to the truth, who are not ashamed to come out, and say before the world, what he would have them say. It is not for any one to contradict the words of God. Men may say that this or that truth is unreasonable to believe; but at the same time the unreasonable subject for our thoughts, lies in man's carnal nature, not in the truth.

If there is any thing strange in God, any thing unaccountable, it is his long suffering with this poor fallen race; not only for the time of six thousand years mentioned in prophecy, but especially the work included in the time of the end; and instead of thinking it strange, that such a message as the third should go to the world, we may wonder that he waits to give any message at all to ungrateful man.

If he chooses feeble man as an agent to his fellow man it is in harmony with his plan, as it has been so far developed; and although they are of like passions with their fellows, yet we revere them for Christ's sake, who sends them; and rejoice that they show evidence of consecration. May God bless them, and strengthen them more and more.

Of the visions we judge from their fruits; and it is all good that we have seen, to those who believe; but unmixed evil to those who reject them. There is in these works the transparency of truth, and the internal and external evidence of divine origin.

Jos. CLARK.