Untitled article by C. G. DANIELS

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, February 18, 1868

FromReview and Herald, Vol. XXXI, No. 10

THE LITTLE FISH.

By C. G. DANIELS

WHILE reading the article under the heading, “Too Busy to Freeze,” in Review Vol. xxxi, No. 5, my mind ran out on my own present but sad experiences; and then was carried back to former days; and I fancied I was taking a pleasant walk down the hill to Bro. Kellogg’s little rippling brook, and there I beheld a numerous company of little fishes. They all seemed to be trying to make their way up the stream, though the swift current would sometimes get the advantage of some of them, and carry them down the stream a short distance; but they would rally again and again, and come up with the company. They all seemed to show signs that there was danger below, and they were constantly trying to make riffle after riffle, marching onward and upward to the fountain head.

These things caused me to reason thus: Why is not this little brook frozen, while the bosom of the great river below is covered with a strong bridge of ice that nothing can remove until the warm rays of the summer sun shine upon it, and mellow its congealed condition, and the fleecy snow is caused to flow down the sides of the mountains in liquid currents? The reason of the little brook’s not freezing is this: it is fresh from the bosom of the warm earth. But as this stream winds its way down the ravine, it mingles with the wild water from off, the surface of the earth, and loses its own warmth received from old mother earth, and is soon congealed by the piercing winds. But why do the little minnows try so hard to stem the current and get up to the fountain head? 1, Because it is more congenial to their health and well being; and 2, Because if they suffer themselves to be carried down the stream by the strong current, they are liable to be swallowed up by the large fish, or frozen up in the ice.

Now this brings to mind the time when I first embraced the third angel’s message. I think I was in company with all my brethren, constantly bathing in living streams that flowed fresh from the throne of God; and while I continued faithful, gaining riffle after riffle, and getting closer up to the fountain head, I remained healthy, and grew in grace and the knowledge of the truth. But, oh! my dear brethren, I have suffered the waves to carry me down the stream into the deep, wild waters, where I am liable to be swallowed up by the Devil’s sharks, or frozen up entirely—unless the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings, and cause the rays of divine grace to shine into this cold heart of mine afresh, and the melting influences of the Holy Spirit to invigorate my feeble and almost wasted energies to start anew for the fountain of life. Oh! that I may at last gain an entrance with all the faithful, through the pearly gates, and be permitted to eat of the fruit of life’s fair tree, and drink of the water of the river of life.

Dear brethren and sisters, I pray that my present experience may not be yours; but let me exhort you to keep close to the fountain head of present truth, where the stream never freezes, and where good angels ever stand keeping guard over the flock of little innocent minnows, and beating back the great fishes that are wishing to swallow them up.

Dear brethren, pray for poor, unworthy me, that if I am, like Jonah, to be swallowed up of some great shark, I may again be cast ashore and be found doing the bidding of the Lord. C. G. DANIELS.

Defiance, Ohio.