Irreverence and Blasphemy against God by Dudley Marvin Canright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 9, 1868

Irreverence and Blasphemy against God.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

THIS is very common now among professors. God is spoken of as commonly and as irreverently as a man. We often hear ministers say that if such and such things and doctrines are true, then God is a tyrant, or Christ is a liar, &c. Thus they bring God and Christ to their ideas of right and truth, or pronounce them wicked. Men may be mistaken even when they think that they have good reasons for what they say. Humility and reverence toward God would seem to suggest that we use a little more caution for fear that we may be mistaken, and be found charging God with folly. The example of David is well worthy of our imitation. When Saul was unjustly pursuing him, he said to him: “Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? Now, therefore, I pray thee, let my lord, the king, hear the words of his servant. If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering; but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods.” 1 Sam. xxvi, 18, 19. How cautiously David speaks: “If the Lord has done it, let him accept a sacrifice.” How much better than to say, If God has done this, he is wicked. The Lord help us to reverence his holy name.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

Tower Hill, R. I.