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Brief Thoughts

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 15, 1870

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 35, Nos. 8 & 9.

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Brief Thoughts.

By Jos. Clarke

If we are liable to err in our estimate of ourselves, it is clear we may err in our estimate of others.
A true self-respect and esteem, leads us to esteem others; an undue degree of self-esteem, leads us to despise others.
The man who never knew the joys of pardoned sin, nor has an experience of this nature, should abstain from the Lord's supper, and baptism, until he has an experience of this kind. Coming to the full privileges of church membership, with an unconverted, unsanctified heart, has lulled thousands to a final and fatal sleep. Let us be careful, lest in our wish to encourage and assist others, we administer an opiate, which all our skill can never afterwards counteract.
The most perfect self-deception is that of the moralist, who rests upon his good deeds, and correct life; or that of the professor of religion, whose mind is steeped in worldliness, yet has some love for the truth, which he mistakes for faith and assurance.
The most useful and worthy, boast the least. Moses, the prince among the ancient prophets, the meekest of men, the most liberal and untiring, the most self-sacrificing, the most virtuous and noble, writes the Pentateuch with such modesty, that you must find out the author by other means than by his writings. While Nehemiah, with only a tithe of Moses' merit, is really a little egotistical. True, we believe Nehemiah was a good and noble man; but Moses was far ahead of him in true merit.
Is it not astonishing, that the longest and dryest prayers and exhortations, are made by the most lukewarm and indifferent, to hide what they do most clearly prove?
Your most dangerous sins are those you justify, and fear to pray against, or resist.
The wandering of the mind in prayer may often be caused by neglect of confession of sin, or by a mere partial performance of this duty. True penitence and contrition wake the mind to action; self-righteousness deafens and stupifies the moral sense.
No degree of knowledge will compensate for a lack of the other Christian graces.
By means of faith and prayer, we obtain the gospel armor; by means of watchfulness and prayer, we retain this armor. To these we may add, courage, and zeal, and prudence, and skill, in using the armor.
Teachers should never dispute, or criticize each other, before their pupils. Jos. Clarke.