p. 112 | Cancelling by A. P. Lawton

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 22, 1870

Cancelling.

By A. P. Lawton

CANCELLING in mathematics is a convenient method of abbreviation; a shorter way of arriving at the same result. Not so in Christian experience, and example. This cancelling protracts or hinders the desired results. Our good deeds can never atone for our bad, nor by comparing with our brother, can we hope to be absolved. Quoting our brother’s wrongs will never atone for ours. We should think a criminal very ignorant of the rules of the court, who, by way of defense or justification, would refer to the other criminals as equally guilty. He who rules the court knows the order of our cases. Do we not yet understand that we must learn to keep ourselves before we can keep our brother? Every case will pass in review in its own order, without our interference. A. P. Lawton. W. Winfield, N. Y.