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R. F. COTTRELL

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 2, 1867

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 30, No. 3.

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R. F. COTTRELL

By Roswell F. Cottrell

FROM WHAT POINT DO YOU VIEW IT?

The same object may look widely different viewed from different stand-points. There is a dark side and a light side, and much depends upon our relative position in respect to the object viewed, in respect both to its shade and color. This is true in natural things, and no less so in spiritual.
The law of God, from the sinner's stand-point, the carnal mind, looks compulsory, exacting, and extremely disagreeable. He looks upon it as something calculated to abridge his liberty and curtail his pleasures; and while he wishes to escape its just retributions by an outward obedience, the inquiry of his inmost heart is, How little may I do, by way of obedience, and how far may I follow my sinful lusts and pleasures, and not be finally condemned? You will hear him say, I don't believe God requires this or that of me. I intend to do about right, and I believe it will all come out right in the end. Oh! the terrible bondage of such a position! Oh! the fallaciousness of that security that hopes to escape the just punishment of sin by adopting the prime article of the skeptic's creed—I don't believe!
On the other hand you hear the man of God exclaim, Oh! how love I thy law! How beautiful and lovely are its precepts; for they are right. It is my defence. It forbids every one from injuring me, or invading my rights. It guards the rights and interests of my neighbor also. It is right I should respect his interests as my own. The law of God provides an ample covering and defence for us all, it is good and lovely, and teaches us to love one another. This is viewing the law of God from the stand-point of the converted man. What a difference!
The Health Reform may be viewed from different points also. Says one, “It proposes to rob me of this good thing and that. It takes away not only the grosser idols, the tobacco, the pork and the lager beer, but the nice things I have been accustomed to eat and drink. What shall I do? What shall I eat, and what shall I drink?”
But listen to another voice: “I do bless God for the Health Reform! How good the Lord is, to call our attention to the subject of learning how to live—how to get rid of our aches and pains, how to enjoy health of body, and clearness and freedom of mind. He has taught us to cast aside hurtful things, and supply their place with things ‘gloriously good!’ I cannot be thankful enough to the Giver of all good for light upon the subject of the Health Reform!”
How much depends upon the way we view it!

R. F. COTTRELL