A STUMBLING-STONE by Aug. A. Monson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 1, 1901

A STUMBLING-STONE.

By Aug. A. Monson

AUG. A. MONSON.

(Grey Eagle, Minn.)

A GREAT many of our people expect too much of their brethren, especially those who have recently accepted the faith. They have read of the early fellowship of the disciples immediately after Pentecost, when they had all things in common, and no man said that anything was his own, and of the commandment to love one another and to bear one another’s burdens, and other beautiful teachings of Christianity.

Without stopping to consider the other side of the question, they expect to be treated very tenderly by their brethren; and if they are not specially favored by them, they are apt to conclude that their brethren are not living up to what they profess, and then, judging those brethren with whom they first associate as an example of the whole Church, they are very apt to be offended, and even fall away, thinking they have sufficient reason for such a course. But the trouble arises from the fact that they have not learned the lesson of self-denial and of casting their burden on the Lord instead of on their brethren, who have burdens of their own, and who ought to be helped along rather than given more to bear.

“But,” says one, “does not the Scripture say, ‘Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ’? and does not that mean our brethren?”—Yes, the Scriptures do say that, but there is one thing we are sure of, and that is that it means us individually; more than that, so far as our being benefited by it, it is no concern of ours what other part of humanity it means. “But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.” Gal. 6: 4, 5. Christ dwelling in us is still the burden-bearer.

Many have become offended because they have not found the brethren everything they expected. We are taught to help one another, to love one another, but we are not taught to require it of one another. Here is where many find fault with their brethren; and some give up the truth, thinking that in the commandment to bear one another’s burdens they have proof that their brethren are not right. Instead of pursuing this course they ought to examine themselves on these points, and they would then find enough to do without censuring their brethren who may have stumbled in human weakness.

Our salvation ought not to depend on the behavior of any one else. If all but one person fell away and left off being a Christian, it should not in the least affect the remaining one; for he would be founded on the sure and the firm foundation, which no storm can move nor tempest shake; namely, Jesus Christ, the everlasting Rock, who is our strength and the horn of our salvation.