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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, March 17, 1868

FromReview and Herald, Vol. XXXI, No. 14

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TIME FOR RELIGIOUS EMPLOYMENTS.

By Jos. Clarke

I AM sure the necessity of taking time for devotion daily, is not duly appreciated by many who live in our time. Even S. D. Adventists, may not all of them look at this subject aright.
Can a man raise a crop without taking time, and pains, and labor, to prepare the ground, to sow the seed, to till his crop, to keep the ground clean and mellow?
Can the man who neglects to set apart daily a portion of his time, for private reading, meditation, and prayer—can such a man grow in grace? We say No. Is it presumptuous to ask God to grant a crop, without the use of proper means? So is it presumption to ask him to make us to grow in grace while we spend all our time in secular employments.
The health-reform movement, gives us time and power. Every excuse is taken away. We must take time for private devotion; and if we would have eternal life, we must value it enough to take the proper time and means to obtain it.
Isaac went out to meditate at eventide. No doubt he was early taught by Abraham, the importance of this exercise; and now, when if ever, his heart would be upon the world, we find him abstracting his mind from earthly things. He took time for this exercise. Probably, he now looked abroad upon the starry heavens, and contemplated the works of God, displayed above in the firmament of his power; and this display of God’s power led the noble mind of Isaac to the Creator; and in the sublimity of God’s works, he viewed his loving benefactor, God, as the Creator of all. At the present time, most are so intent upon the world, that they lose sight of God’s works, and of course forget the Creator. JOS. CLARKE.