p. 67 | Untitled article by Vesta N. Cudworth

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, January 14, 1868

THE PROMISES EXAMINED.

By Vesta N. Cudworth

DEAR BRETHREN: My tribulation has been such that it has driven me to the work of dissecting the promises, to find what belongs to me in the will; and I find, blessed be God, that although in the world we are to have tribulation, be of good cheer, John xvi, 33, is immediately added; and in 2 Cor. vii, 4, Paul says, “I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.”

I believe these are a sample of the whole, and that we need not have a glimpse of sunshine, merely, once or twice in a year, but sunshine all the year round. It will not cost us anything, it is free as our mountain streams, “without money, and without price.” But it has cost Jesus his life. Yes, it has cost the blood of the Son of God. There is no promise of a flowery pathway. The beauty and excellency of the blessing do not consist in the path, but in the illumination of the path. It is the worldling that finds the pleasant path, the broad road, but no starry beam of love falls on his darkened way. They take the world for their portion. Their eyes are ever downward to earth, they are earthy. But the Christian looks up for his portion, and he gets it, blessed be the Lord! without stint. Here I will insert the substance of a dream. “I fight and conquer? Thou hast the power.”

I believe, dear brethren, we are fast coming to a time, and some are already there, when a man, woman, or child cannot stand at all unless they stand erect. I have been well nigh swept from the path, and swallowed up with grief; and thinking that my experience might help some other poor soul, that is traveling across this storm-swept wilderness, I have reluctantly mentioned self. Paul writes to his Thessalonian brethren, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul and body be preserved blameless, &c., and then adds, “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” This is in the last will and testament of our Lord and Saviour, and it belongs to every son and daughter of Abraham. This only brings us to the commencement of the polishing process, or fitting up of the jewels. God will have nothing to do with a man until he lays down his weapons of rebellion. He never will take impure hands to make up the breach in his law. Sin made the breach, can a sinner mend it? “But as a man thinketh, so is he.” If we think we must live in sin until we get almost through, we shall. The old schools taught that we must sin in every thought, word, and deed; but the time of that ignorance is past. Whether God winked at it or not, is not for me to say, but one thing I know, “he now commands men every where to repent.” If they do, does God forgive them? If he does, are they sinners? Let us hold up a right standard whether we reach it or not.

In John xv, 3, Christ says, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” In Isaiah lii, 11, we read, “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.” Paul tells us in Romans vi, 11, what to do: “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” If we are saved from our transgression of the law through Christ, and have been buried with him in baptism, and the old man is crucified, then the body of sin is destroyed, and we are free. There is then no condemnation to them which are in Christ; but we stand by faith, hence should not be high-minded, but fear.

Nothing but the direst necessity has urged me on to search the Scriptures, as the starving seek for bread, or the thirsting for water; and I would leave my humble testimony on record, that there is a balm in Gilead, there is a Physician there. There is a peace so calm, so deep, that all the storms of earth cannot disturb it. It calms my fears, it soothes my sorrows, it smooths my way o'er life's rough sea. And do not forget that it is mixed with goodness, and meek, humble patience. This heavenly portion mine shall be.

I find this motto on my Christmas present, “Tennyson's poems:” “Cast all your care on God.” “That anchor holds.” My heart responds, Amen; and I think if it can hold me, all may venture. None will ever perish, clinging to the Rock. Paul sums up the afflictions as light, and for a moment.

A step from tears to the tearless, From obscurity into renown; From a sinful age to the sinless, A step from the cross to the crown.

And, brethren, we can through Christ rejoice in afflictions, as well as Paul. The affliction is not joyous, but grievous, and if we were left to our own strength, it would crush us; but we remember he said, “afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness;” and we want that; and we can trust God to mix our cup for us, as he has first drank of it; and he loves us so, that he would not willingly afflict, or grieve us.

Those that fear the name of the Lord shall see the sun of righteousness arise, with healing in his wings, and then, they will go forth, and grow up, as calves of the stall. But the same class will remember the law of Moses, way down here in the last times; and all that are reckoned in the new covenant, according to the promise, have God's law written in their thoughts, &c., and are elected through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Let us give good heed to the counsel of the faithful and true Witness.

VESTA. N. CUDWORTH.

Springfield, Mass.