Untitled article | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, November 12, 1867

WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVE?

You wish with all your heart the success and triumph of present truth? Why? There are many reasons which are laudable and good, but there is one particular in which there may be danger of our cherishing a wrong spirit, and to this we therefore wish to call attention.

To those who are whole-hearted in the truth, nothing upon earth is more precious than this cause. Their best interests center upon it. The strongest cords of their love entwine around it. Their hopes are bound up in it. In its prosperity they rejoice; in its adversity they mourn. The toils and sacrifices necessary to carry it forward, they welcome as desirable burdens to bear for its advancement.

But this cause has its foes. Its promulgation has developed an unusual number of the same characters from whom Paul prayed to be delivered, and whom he styles “unreasonable and wicked men.” These are bitter in their opposition to this work. They labor to arrest its progress. Over every indication of its decline, they raise a shout of exultation. They predict its failure. They greedily seek for flaws in the private lives or public walks of its defenders. And they would fain persuade themselves and others that our course is folly, and our hope a phantom.

Now it would be very much in accordance with human nature for personal feelings to arise in our hearts against such individuals, and for us to wish for the success of this work for the gratification of these feelings, that their mouths might be stopped, their folly be made manifest, and we feel that a triumph had been achieved over the enemies of the truth.

If any of us are in any degree inclined to such feelings, let us immediately commence to guard against them. We know the truth is destined to triumph, and we desire its immediate advancement; but there is a better motive for this than the one above-mentioned. This is the last message of mercy to a perishing world; and sinners are lying all around us in darkness and danger. Carelessly and ignorantly they are hastening to the Judgment. They must be warned.

Then let us work and pray for the success of this cause, not that we may triumph over our opponents, but that souls may be saved, and God’s name be thus glorified. This is the great object. This should be the all-absorbing motive. Let us make every other consideration subservient to this, seek to realize the value of souls, and their startling danger; and earnestly desire the prosperity of the cause of truth, that the warning may be wide spread, the honest receive the light, and so be saved in the impending day of the Lord Jesus.