SAD THOUGHTS by L. A. Cartwright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 15, 1868

SAD THOUGHTS.

By L. A. Cartwright

There are many ways to discourage and dishearten those who are weak in faith and hope, but none more common among professors of religion, than the lack of interest in attending meeting. How often do we hear these words of the apostle, “not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is” without ever thinking they could apply to us. What little excuses keep us away. One feels dull and drowsy, so dozes away the Sabbath hours. Another has worked so hard during the week he does not feel like going. A third thinks the meeting will not be interesting and stays at home. This one fears a little rain or snow or cold, as the case may be. That one more regardless still, is visiting friends or relatives; while some alas! engage in the world's amusements; all making the few who do congregate, dispirited and sad.

Sometimes a little word from a well-meaning but harsh-spoken brother or sister, is enough to keep us away; or perchance we do not feel very well and cannot go. Others are offended because one who attends meeting has done wrong, so they must stay away. But “the sons of God presented themselves before the Lord” though “Satan came also.”

Is there not great reason to fear that none of these things are the real excuse? A friend once observed, “It is not the inclemency of the weather, but of the heart that's the trouble. Dear friends ought these things so to be? What is our influence? If we are not for Christ we are surely against him. The Saviour said “He that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”

How was it when we first felt the love of Christ? Did we not love the “House of prayer,” the songs of praise, and the ambassadors who besought us “in Christ’s stead to be reconciled to God?” Then our hearts overflowed with love to God, “Peace on earth good will to men.” Then we felt the truth that “as iron sharpeneth iron so a man sharpeneth the countenance

of his friend.” What pleadings for sinners to come and go with us. Then they were constrained to say, “How these Christians love one another.” They look on a few days a few months and what do they see? Vacant seats in the house of prayer! Oh where and what is our testimony now? Alas! for the weak in faith! Alas! for the perishing all around. Do they not understand us to say of the service of God “What a weariness it is.” Cain inquired “Am I my brother’s keeper?” and the Lord said “The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground!”

There is certainly serious cause for alarm when we unnecessarily absent ourselves from the place “where prayer is wont to be made.” Our actions, if they do not speak louder, very often speak truer, than words, that we are losing interest in the cause of Christ. And we see clearly from both the Old and New Testaments that God will not accept of a divided heart, nor can we secure our own salvation without laboring for the good of others. And while I write the Spirit brings these words home to me, “Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.”

L. A. CARTWRIGHT.

Lincklaen, N. Y., August, 1868.