IN ANSWER TO OUR PRAYERS.
By M. J. COTRELL.
WHILE perusing a letter from sister L. I. Belknap, in Review, No. 3, present Vol., my attention was arrested by these words, “In answer to our prayers,” and glancing back I read again; “I know it is a step, dear sisters, calculated to humble us, but is not this in answer to our prayers? (She is speaking of the dress reform.) “In answer to our prayers!” Yes, truly. I had not thought of it in this light before. But is it not so? How often have we prayed for humility; and shall we not “live our prayers?” Now that God has seen fit to answer them, and point out a duty, the performance of which requires humility, shall we start back and exclaim, It is too much, too humiliating? Can anything which will sever the cords that have bound us to the lovers of pleasure, require too much humility? My sisters, if we are unwilling to comply with the requirements of the test God sees fit to send, if we jump from the crucible as soon as we begin to feel what the effect of the flames will be, can we still have confidence to present a petition, and that too, to the King of Heaven, which our very actions have proven we are unwilling to have answered? No, no! we dare not thus mock God. But if we are willing to perform what is required, only feeling too weak, then may we with confidence pray, Help me, O my Father, help me to be humble. Give me strength to perform all thou dost require. And God will hear and answer. If we really desire to wear the robe of humility, he will help us; but he will never force us to put it on, even though we have been praying for it for many years. Yes, truly the dress reform is calculated to humble us. Oh! how rebellious our proud hearts are; how long we have striven to find some way around the cross. The cry of our hearts has been “Some other time, and some other place. Oh! not to-day, not here.” And too many times when we resolve to act, and say,
“I will boldly take my stand;
This terrible demon stays the hand,
Oh! not to-day, not now.” For a long time I yielded to this not-to-day plea; and some-other-time promise, but there stood the cross, I could not advance without lifting it. And what was the virtue of promising to do a thing at some other time, which might be just as well done now. Then I began to realize that I had grown to love the approbation of the world, for I saw that I dreaded to meet its frowns. With sister S. E. Lindsay I can say, that “numerous friends and acquaintances who have no relish for the truth of God, have been extremely kind to me in temporal things,” and what these friends would think and say of me, should they meet me in this strange dress, seemed an insurmountable barrier, or rather what I feared they would say. I have hoped to be the means of bringing some of them to see and love the truth so dear to me, but fear that I too have “lowered the standard to avoid giving offense,” and I realize to my sorrow that I “cannot point to one soul thus saved.” I have made the resolve to “turn to a new course of action,” and already I feel that bearing the cross is easier than trying to get around it. Is there any enjoyment in this halting, and putting off? I found none; and have now gone at the work of making over dresses, with my heart as well as my hands. Sisters, who of us will put our hand to the plow and then look back. I have not yet met those worldly friends in my reform dress, and I know not how my strength will hold out, but trusting in God, and feeling that security which a knowledge that we are in the path of duty gives, I hope to be able to endure even their frowns. I can say to them, It is the most convenient, and comfortable dress that I ever have worn, and certainly it is modest, and healthful, by no means minor considerations. I know that we must meet scornful smiles, and taunting words; but shall we expect anything less, when we enter the path our Saviour trod? If the world turned in derision from him, shall we seek their esteem?167Go for a moment to Calvary, where Jesus suffered untold agony for you and me. Listen to those cruel, taunting words, and then decide whether you are willing to suffer that you may also reign with him.