Untitled article by M. E. WILLIAMS.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, August 13, 1867

UNGUARDED MOMENTS.

By M. E. WILLIAMS.

If we realized how every little word or act of ours has a bearing for or against the truth with unbelievers, it seems as if we would be more careful what we do and say. But whether we realize it or not, it is so. They are watching us with jealous eyes to find something to reproach us with, and if we are reproached it is not we alone that suffer; but also the truth which we profess to believe. “Oh,” said one, “you make a great profession, but I don’t see as some of you live any better than other folks.” How that saying saddened my heart. I thought, how many inconsistencies might not this person have seen in me. Am I among those who live no better than others who believe not the truth? If I am, may God help me to look, well to my ways and mend them wherever they need mending.

We are told to watch unto prayer and be sober; and this we all know is just what we need to do; and I do not think there is any danger of our praying too much; and yet we may pray hours and it will avail us nothing unless we also watch. Many of us no doubt after holding sweet communion with the Lord, have thought we would be so careful not to displease him, that we might feel his presence continually; but in an unguarded moment we have done something which has put all joy to flight, and caused us sorrow and anguish of spirit. Ah! that is it; we prayed, but forgot to watch.

In an unguarded moment we joined with the light and trifling in their frivolity. In an unguarded moment we have yielded to impatience and spoken fretful, cutting words. And shall I say in an unguarded moment some of us have trespassed on God’s holy time, and took for our own use a little from the beginning of the Sabbath; perhaps thinking it would not make much difference with the Lord, as it was much more convenient for us; coming home from business excursions sometime after sundown. Truly unguarded were such moments. Have not unbelievers good reason to say, “You profess great things but I do not see as you live them”? The man who went out in ancient times to gather sticks on the Sabbath day, thought it was a little thing and perhaps it was more convenient for him to do it then than some other time; but he found to his cost that it was not a little thing in the sight of God. It is not for us to suit our convenience as regards keeping holy the Sabbath hours; but if we would please God, we must arrange all our matters so that they will not conflict with the command. If we do not, we shall find to our sorrow, that it will not be convenient for the Lord to save us.

He caused the man who gathered the sticks to be killed, because he presumptuously sinned in breaking the Sabbath, as he well understood what God had commanded. Can it be any less a sin of presumption now, to trespass on the Sabbath hours than it was at that time, when we have had so much light on the subject?

God commanded that for those who sinned ignorantly, an atonement should be made; but he who sinned presumptuously, should be utterly cut off from among his people, his iniquity should be upon him.

We must be on our guard every moment, and at every weak point there we must set a double guard.

Let us with David say, Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Ps. cxli, 3. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. Ps. xii, 5. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Ps. xix, 13, 14. M. E. WILLIAMS.

Lancaster, N. Y.