Past Feeling by E. R. Dewey

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 31, 1871

Past Feeling.

By E. R. Dewey

Paul speaks of a class, in Eph. 4:18 and 19, as “being past feeling.” This passage has struck my mind with a new force of late, and it seems to me that this text is not confined to the most degraded and abandoned of the race; but that it names a spiritual condition which is too common a condition, one to which we all have a strong tendency, and one which we must all daily and hourly be striving and praying against.

We have many of us during the past season enjoyed the privilege of meeting with those of like faith, and hearing the most solemn truths explained. With myself this was the first opportunity of the kind that I ever enjoyed, and I felt that they were heart-searching truths, and was greatly blessed and strengthened, and returned home feeling a new interest in Bible truth. Doubtless there were many others who felt their interest newly awakened; but how many of us, will there be who will continue to feel that lively interest which we then felt? There is so much to occupy our time and attention and to draw our minds from the contemplation of sacred things, that there is great danger that we shall cease to have that feeling upon those subjects which we ought to have.

I was deeply impressed with a remark I heard a brother make, who has been long in the work. He said that there were two classes always to be seen at those meetings. Both would say they believed these truths. They felt their need of striving more earnestly to overcome, and were determined to press forward; and probably they did feel all that they said at the time. The next year it would be the same, and while you could see that one class had made progress, the other class were no nearer the kingdom than they were the year before.

Now do we not all run a great risk of becoming so familiar with spiritual truths, that we shall understand them and believe them without feeling them; without really feeling what their meaning is, and without that degree of emotion being excited by them that ought to be excited? We are living in a very solemn time; this we all profess to believe, yet “I am sure that even the very best Christians among us must often be surprised to find how coolly, how indifferently, they can listen to truths so awful that when we think of it, it seems almost impossible that men should ever remember them but with the hushed heart and silent, earnest prayer.”

That God is ever by us, and ever watching us; that our every word is recorded; that by them we shall either be justified or condemned; that Jesus died to save us from eternal death; that he is soon coming to take his people home; and that the days of probation are fast passing away—oh! is it not wonderful that we can think of all these things and believe them all, and yet feel so little?

A learned writer says, “A faithfully preached gospel will act upon the soul in one of two ways: it will either save, or it will harden. And if it do not save, it is sure to harden.” It is one of the last and worst symptoms of the soul’s condition when feeling is gone; for that is an indication that the Holy Spirit has taken its departure.

What can we do to avoid this sad condition but watch and pray yet more earnestly for that grace which alone is able to keep us from falling? E. R. DEWEY. Montpelier, Vt.