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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, October 1, 1867.

MEN are atheistical because they are first vicious, and question the truth of Christianity because they hate the practice.

HUMILITY.—

It is out of a broken heart that all truly holy affections do flow. Christian affections are like Mary’s precious ointment that she poured on Christ’s head that filled the house with a sweet odor. That was poured out of an alabaster box; so gracious affections flow out of a broken heart. Gracious affections are also like those of Mary Magdalene, who also poured precious ointment on Christ, out of a broken alabaster box, anointed therewith the feet of Jesus, when she had washed them with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. All gracious affections, that are a sweet odor to Christ, and that fill the soul of a Christian with a heavenly sweetness and fragrancy, are broken-hearted love. The desires of the saints, however earnest, are humble desires; their hope is humble; and their joy, even when it is unspeakable and full of glory, is a humble, broken-hearted joy, and leaves the Christian more poor in spirit, and more like a little child, and more disposed to a universal lowliness of behaviour.—Edwards on the Affections.