MENTAL BLINDNESS by R. F. Cottrell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 12, 1869

MENTAL BLINDNESS.

By R. F. Cottrell

THIS is more to be deplored than physical blindness. Better for men to be born literally blind, than willingly make themselves mentally blind to the way of life and salvation. “If ye were blind, ye should have no sin; but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.”

As an illustration of mental blindness, I will refer to an occurrence at Wellsville, on the occasion of our late general meeting there was no redeeming power in law, to justify its transgressors, and hence the absolute necessity of the gospel, without which no transgressor of the law could be justified. He especially emphasized this point, repeating and re-repeating it with the strongest emphasis; so that no candid, unprejudiced hearer could fail to understand him, that he relied wholly upon Christ and the gospel for justification. At the close of the meeting a man objectingly asked, “Did you not know that Paul said that by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God?”

Where had that man been that he did not hear the discourse? Was he deaf, that he could not hear? or was he blind, that he could not see? Such things are distressingly discouraging. Bro. White will have to speak louder before such men will hear. The infidel, when you take the utmost pains to answer his difficulties, by the time you think you have made it clear, he will look up and ask the same question again. How can men be helped who are so determinedly and persistently blind? No sound can deter them from walking off the precipice.

But, thank God! some of our perverted race can and will be saved. Let us, brethren, labor patiently to find them. R. F. COTTRELL.