STRAINING OUT GNATS, AND SWALLOWING CAMELS.
By P. C. Truman
TEACHING school during the past winter, at some distance from home, I boarded in the family of a Mormon elder. This man made considerable profession as to right living, and was very fond of conversing on religious subjects. He also had a large family of children with whom he was very strict on some points. At one time he lectured them severely for engaging in plays in which kissing was a part of the game. This looked well, and I thought that one who was so conscientious in such little matters, needed only to be shown the truth in regard to the weightier matters of the law, to immediately obey it. I placed in his hands a number of works on present truth, especially the Sabbath, and also conversed with him often on those subjects. He read the works on the Sabbath, attentively, and when done, plainly acknowledged that we had the truth, that the seventh day is the true and only Sabbath, and that Sunday-keeping has no warrant, either in reason or revelation. He even went so far as to introduce the subject into the Mormon church, and advocate the true Sabbath. But when urged to obey that which he knew and acknowledged to be the law of God, he excused himself, saying he should be turned out of the church, he would keep the Sabbath if his brethren did. Here, thought I, is a man who, though he strains out some small gnats, can swallow a very large camel. And he is not alone. Many have said to me, after reading our books and hearing our arguments, You are right; I believe Saturday is the right day. But when urged to keep it, they are like this man, afraid of being turned out of their church, or of the opposition of friends. Jesus says: “He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”