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A. E. PLACE

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 30, 1914

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 91, No. 31.

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A. E. PLACE

By A. E. PLACE

“Judge Not”—No. 3

A. E. PLACE

LET us now present the following simple propositions:—
1. Man by nature is decidedly human. This means man in its fullest sense—you, me, us, no matter what our position, location, or profession.
2. Being human, “we have all missed the mark.”
3. Living in different degrees of light and shadow, it is but reasonable—it could not be otherwise—that our views should differ concerning many things; in fact, it would be a miracle, and a mighty one, that would bring all to see alike on all things.
4. Every person not abandoned by the Holy Spirit (and this class is doubtless much smaller than many think) has some honesty, and desires to do what he sees and believes to be right.
5. A man will follow his convictions to the extent that he is truly honest, and to that extent he is accepted by the Lord, for to that extent God is in him, though the man does many things which his brother or neighbor may condemn.
6. We believe that honesty is measured rightfully by him who sits in the sanctuary above, and not by any man; and God’s measure is quality rather than quantity. To illustrate: A may have, so to speak, twice the honesty that B has, and yet God may regard B’s as more precious than A’s. Some two-ounce peaches are intrinsically better than others weighing eight ounces. Yet in each case the color of the skin and the smell may be the same.
Experience has taught us that color, smell, and weight are each and all deceptive. Fruit must be tasted to determine quality; but even when this test is applied, men and women disagree.
7. By the greatest teacher this world has ever known, we are told, “There is none good but one, that is, God.” “Where is boasting then?” Where has man any basis for preeminence? Where has God located a seat in this world where any living soul may claim the right to sit in judgment on any other living soul? “It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” How much better to trust than to judge!
8. Our righteousness must “exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees,” or we cannot get into either the kingdom of grace or of glory. We cannot judge till we get into the latter, and when we get there we shall have lost all desire to judge, and shall simply sit with Christ to sanction Heaven’s decisions.
9. Every individual, in religious matters, is responsible both now and in the judgment for his actions. You cannot present my case there, neither can I present yours; for “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done.” See also Rom. 14:12.
10. My ways do not please everybody, not even my best friends. All my ways do not please anybody who knows me; in fact, they do not please myself. Neither do other people’s ways always please me. I have known but few people who really met my ideals, and had I been permitted to “summer and winter” with them, my view of their perfection might have been marred. And I say this with the consciousness that my ideals may be, and doubtless are, far from perfect.
11. Traits which I admire, another does not. Traits which another may condemn, may seem right and good to me. What does this prove? One of two things, and possibly both; namely, either we do not all have the same measuring rod, or we do not all read the figures alike, or correctly. Would it be too strong to say that probably neither of us sees them correctly?
12. By an act or acts we may please God and at the same time displease our fellow men, or we may please man and in so doing displease God. Then let us draw and consider carefully the following conclusions:—
He who tries to please all men, no matter what his calling or ability, has before him a hopeless and thankless task; and he who tries to please both man and God will make just as great a failure. But he who honestly seeks to please God, regardless of criticism, condemnation, or judgment, will not only please God, but in this way will please more of his fellow men than he could possibly do in any other way; and last, but not least, he will find in it a pleasure, yea, a joy and peace, which the world cannot give nor take away.
San Jose, Cal.