Little Things by Wm. E. Morton

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 28, 1871

Little Things.

By Wm. E. Morton

Jesus says, Fear not, little flock, for it is you Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Now if we would be included in that little flock, we must be faithful while here, in the little things, for we know not how much good may be accomplished by a few words spoken in favor of present truth at the right time and place, or by a few tracts judiciously distributed here and there among our friends and neighbors.

These are little things. Yet they may be the very means required to cause some poor soul to inquire, What shall I do to be saved? It may require a little sacrifice of time and means on our part to accomplish this, but what of that? Christ sacrificed every thing, that thereby a way might be made for us to be saved. And cannot we sacrifice a little for him? I never saw the importance of these little things until I commenced to serve the Lord, which was only a little over two months ago at our good camp-meeting in Maine. Perhaps it will be right to relate a little of my experience for the encouragement of others.

It was a “little thing,” that decided me to become a Christian. My dear mother had been sick for some five weeks and very near to death's door, and it is only through the goodness and mercy of the Lord that she is alive and well at the present time. Friday morning, Sept. 1, we felt that she was out of danger so that I could attend the last three days of the camp-meeting. As I left home at noon, and arrived on the ground just at the commencement of the Sabbath, I had not made up my mind to serve the Lord. Sabbath forenoon there was a call for sinners and backsliders to come forward for prayers; still I kept back. But just then it was a “little thing” that decided me to try to go to the kingdom with this dear people. One good brother came and asked me to go forward with the rest. It was those few kind words spoken at the right time that caused me to yield myself to the Lord. May the Lord bless that dear brother, and the prayer of my heart is that I may prove faithful, and endure to the end. Oh! may each one of us strive to do a little in this good work, for what we do must be done quickly. Soon probation will close. Are we ready for the decree, He that is holy let him be holy still, and he that is filthy let him be filthy still? If we are only faithful in all things a little while longer, we shall be prepared to stand in the day of trouble and be shielded in the day of his wrath. I want to be one of that number! Oh! what a fearful thing it would be if at last we should find ourselves among that class brought to view by the prophet Amos, chap. 8: 11, 12. May the Lord help us in the “little things,” that we may stand amid the perils of these last days, so that when Jesus comes we can meet him with joy and peace, and so be forever with the Lord.

WM. E. MORTON.

Cumberland Co., Maine.