Save your Breath by R. F. Cottrell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 24, 1870

Save your Breath.

By R. F. Cottrell

The man that is troubled with doubts concerning the inspiration of the Bible, who will candidly state his difficulties and listen to arguments calculated to remove them, is deserving of all the aid we can give. I can freely converse with such, and feel in duty bound to labor to present arguments that may remove their difficulties. But when I see one who not only disbelieves the Bible, but delights to speak against it, venting his rage in contradicting and blaspheming, I feel no duty or disposition to talk with him upon the subject. I would rather change the conversation to other themes—the weather, crops, markets, enterprises and worldly business—and leave the conversation, and cut his company the cheapest way I can.

There is an injunction to cast not your pearls before swine. If you have any choice pearls, brother, sister, keep them for those who can appreciate them. It is said that praying breath is never spent in vain. But when you meet with bold blasphemers, my advice to you is, Save your breath. R. F. COTTRELL.