A Common Deception by Dr. C. S. Robinson

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Jan 24, 1884

A Common Deception.

By Dr. C. S. Robinson

THE wavering Christian often thinks that the church regulations are too restrictive and severe; does not even the Bible say something about being righteous overmuch? This is the Devil's work, if only one could be made to see it. Satan often urges that religious people should be more lenient and less austere; he insists that prejudices are aroused against piety because a few church-officers push their authority beyond what is polite. There is an old Greek parable which comes in here with an honest lesson in it. On a time an embassy came from the wolves to the sheep, assuring them of their friendliness and positive respect for wethers and ewes and lambs, indeed everything inside of a decent shepherd's fold; but the spokesman begged leave to mention that the conduct of certain dogs connected with the fold had of late become exceedingly exasperating. These dogs had always in one way or another made bad blood between sheep and wolves; it was plain to all the world that sheep were most amiable and inoffensive creatures, and must be loved by every one of refinement; but these dogs kept up the disturbance, and if they could just be dispensed with, peace would be made at once. The silly flock listened, and the watchful guardians were dismissed. Then, after a day of false quiet, as might be expected, the sheep were devoured right and left, at the pleasure of even the poorest whelp in the pack.—Dr. C. S. Robinson.