Untitled article by H. C. MILLEN

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · February 11, 1868

GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IN INSTRUCTING.

By H. C. MILLEN

I stood among the piles of back numbers of the Review, and of the Reformer, and I thought, Truly it is as God has said, For precept hath been (margin) upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little. “But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept; precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little;” &c. Isa. xxviii 10, 13. “Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day, I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them.” Jer. vii. 25.

So the Lord said of ancient Israel: “I have sent also all my servants the prophets unto you, rising up early and sending, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings * and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers; but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.” “Howbeit I sent all my servants the prophets unto you, rising early and sending, saying, Oh! do not this abominable thing that I hate; but they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness,” &c. Jer. xxxv, 15, xliv, 4.

And I thought, He is still repeating this unto us, unto me now, and, oh! shall we, shall I, prove like our fathers, negligent of his instruction? Here, week after week, month after month, have these faithful white-winged messengers come to our doors with line upon line, precept upon precept; and how many have we heard and obeyed? How many have we hastened to carry out in the life? How many things do I that are wrong in his sight, which they have reproved, once, twice, yea many times? And have I not perhaps read them and failed to remember them?

Will these rise up in judgment and condemn me? Oh! my Lord help us, help me to consider thy ways, and with gratitude remember thy care; that Thou art the source from whence all blessings flow.

It was said anciently, “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” Yes, it is our lack in considering. And why is it we neglect to meditate? God said of our fathers, “They have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink. They are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink: they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.” Isa. xxviii, 7. May not our stupidity of mind, our failure to believe the testimonies, or to rightly interpret the visions that have been given, and our poor judgment in spiritual things be in a great part owing to our being swallowed up of meats and drinks?

“O wake thy slumbering people; Send forth the solemn cry; Let all thy saints repeat it, The Saviour draweth nigh! May all our lamps be burning, Our loins well girded be; Each longing heart preparing With joy thy face to see.”

H. C. MILLEN. Monroe, Wis.