Untitled article by A. M. PATTIN

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, January 21, 1868

A FEW WORDS TO THE YOUNG.

By A. M. PATTIN

DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS: Let us who are hurrying on through life so swiftly, stop a moment and see to what end we are hasting. Let us ask ourselves whether we prize as we should the privileges we enjoy of associating with those who are trying to keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus. Are we trying to seek the Lord with all our hearts, and, by overcoming daily, getting an experience in the things of God? We believe he will hold us accountable for the way we spend our time, and do we always stop at evening to think how we have spent the day, to see if in every place we have done right? And if we can see any place where we might have done better, do we ask God to forgive and give us more wisdom in future?

A Christian friend once said to me, that “with great privileges many backslide.” This must not be so with us that profess to be followers of Jesus in these last days, but rather with the opportunities that are ours to enjoy, we must be growing stronger in the Lord, and getting ready for the coming of Jesus, which is near. My earnest prayer is that the Lord will pity us, and pardon all our past sins, and help us to be faithful from this time onward till Jesus comes, that we may then be gathered home to dwell with him in glory.

There we hope to meet our dear friends whose society we have enjoyed so much here, but have bade good bye for a little time,—those loved ones whom we so often bring in faith to the arms of our Savior, to have them with us kept by the power of God from all the snares of Satan.

I praise God for the light of present truth, and for what he has done for me. I sometimes feel, Oh! that I could do something to repay him for his love and care for me; but this I cannot do, for when I have done all I know that I am an unprofitable servant, only have done my duty. But Jesus pities; he has died for us, and is now pleading our cases before the Father, and for his sake we can, if faithful, be admitted into the society of the pure and heavenly host. My soul longs to be there! I will be wholly the Lord’s. I praise his holy name for the health reform, and for the blessings we enjoy. May the Lord help me to spend my whole life in his service.

I wish to say a few words about the dress reform. Perhaps my experience may have been like that of some others. When I heard the testimony that was given us on this subject, and was convinced that it was our duty as a people to adopt this style of dress, then the question came to my mind, Can I, will I do it? Oh! thought I, how odd it will make me look! I fear my friends that know or care but little about the present truth will not think half so much of me! But then came the precious words of Jesus, “If the world hate you, ye know it hated me before it hated you;” and again, “He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings,” &c., I was satisfied the testimony came from Heaven, and decided to take up the cross and leave the result with the Lord. I can say I found the way of the cross a good way, it brought me nearer to my God. And now my young friends, please allow me to say to you, don’t wait to be tempted by the enemy. Of course we expect he will oppose every step that God’s people would take in advance, but let us who are young come out and take a stand on the side of truth, try to bear every cross, and see if we cannot at least be a little help to those dear servants of the Lord who have labored so long and faithfully in his service. If we cannot help, we do not wish to, no, we must not, add anything to their burdens.

May the Lord help us all to cheerfully take up the cross, and get near to God, that our hearts may be so filled with his Spirit and love, that wherever we are we may by all we say or do confess Jesus to all around us.

Truly yours, hoping to meet you in the kingdom of God. A. M. PATTIN.

Battle Creek, Mich.