Untitled article by H. F. PHELPS.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, September 24, 1867

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. XXX, No. 15

CONSISTENCIES AND INCONSISTENCIES.

By H. F. PHELPS.

It is certainly very consistent for a man to profess to be a Christian, but very inconsistent not to live as a Christian should.

It is very consistent and easy to profess to be a Seventh-day Adventist, but indeed very inconsistent if he does not live up to his profession. To profess and to live are two different things.

It is consistent for a man to be very careful in keeping the Sabbath, but inconsistent to see such a one coming home from his labor at the close of the week, after the Sabbath has commenced. Indeed it would be more in accordance with consistency to see every Sabbath-keeper at home, all labor that is possible to be done before the Sabbath completed, and ready with his family (if he has one, if not to go to his closet,) to bow down before God and thank him for mercies past, and the privilege of another sacred rest-day.

It is consistent to profess to believe in the coming of Christ as very near, for such is the case, but it is rather inconsistent for that individual to be continually adding to his property, saying that by-and-by they mean to help the cause of God; but that time seems never to come. Rather let them add, and as they add to one side of the pile, let them take off more from the other, and in this way the sacrifice which they claim they have made will be consuming instead of increasing.

It is consistent for Christians to take heed and not forget the assembling of themselves together, but very much the opposite, if they forget to exhort one another, and so much the more as they see the day approaching.

It is consistent for brethren to put down their property on the Systematic-Benevolence book, but how extremely the opposite is it to see them put down about one-half what they are worth, and then—never pay that.

It is very consistent for an individual to believe in the Health Reform, but inconsistent if he does not live it. For instance, one may say, I believe the Health Reform is right, and obedience to it will secure health, yet if he still continues in the use of tea, coffee, and unwholesome flesh meats, and is still holding communion with his favorite pipe, or tobacco in some of its forms, and failing to be free in the use of pure water with which to cleanse his body from physical uncleanness, is not this individual very inconsistent?

And further, is there not a little danger of this inconsistency when our sisters fail to adopt the Dress Reform, when it is so much more modest, convenient, and healthful, than the common style of dress?

H. F. PHELPS.

Pine Island, Minn., Aug. 31, 1867.