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Not Wise

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 7, 1871

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 38, No. 21.

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“Not Wise.”

By R. F. Cottrell

Who are not wise? Those who have the custom of “measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves.” If we would have uniformity in a great number of garments, we must cut them all by the same pattern. If, after cutting one, we lay the pattern aside and cut the second by the first, and the third by the second, and so on, we shall find, after a while, that we have a great diversity of garments and a great divergency from the original pattern. To form the character of Christians alike, all must be formed after the model of Christ, and not by measuring and comparing with one another. If all are like Christ, there will be unity; if not, there will be diversity.
The revealed word of God is the rule. By it we should measure ourselves.
To reform men's habits is difficult. When the work is begun, even, it is difficult to bring them up to a given standard. We find it so in the health reform. Why? Because instead of following the letter of the instructions given, we look about to see how others follow them. I think very highly of such and such a one. If I do as they do, I think I shall do well enough.
This is one reason why reform does not progress. Another is, that we fall a little back of the standard that we have proposed for ourselves, to accommodate and encourage our friends that are a little in the rear, so as not to part company with them. They visit us, and we set a table a little less hygienic than we are accustomed to, on their account. They observe everything, and go away and report that we live so and so, and they think that will do. They do not think they need to get ahead of Eld. so and so, and Dea. so and so, and so.
We have seen this in our own experience. Some years ago, having brethren and sisters to visit us who we thought would hardly like to be forced to conform to our ordinary diet, we went out of the way to set a little flesh-meat before them. The consequence was that they went away and reported that Bro. Cottrell's folks ate meat right along. Of course they did not see the need of getting in advance of us in the health reform.
And so it happens that reform begun, is often found going backward. And I have come to the decided conclusion that it is best for me to take the rule as it is, and live up to the light given. But I would not compel any one to do as I do; only I would advise all not to measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves among themselves, but to take the written testimony,given by the Spirit of God, and make that their rule and conform to it fully. Such a course I believe will be wise. R. F. COTTRELL.