Dallying with Temptation.
By Wm. Gatchell
THERE are many persons who have the light of truth made clear to them, and whose minds have become greatly exercised about the Sabbath. Many are persuaded that the seventh day is the only day binding upon them. Others have about made up their minds to embrace the truth, and keep that day. At this point, people will bring forward all the arguments they are capable of in favor of the first day and against the seventh, to perplex the mind and to dissuade them from obeying the truth and keeping the Sabbath. They will tell you, if you are a mechanic or merchant, that it will injure your business; or if you have a family to support by your daily labor, that nobody will employ you without you work on that day, and your family will come to want. They will tell you also that almost everybody has kept the first day, and been blessed and prospered by so doing. Don't stop to listen or pay attention to anything they may say contrary to the divine command; but dare to do right, and move forward in the path of duty regardless of the consequences, and leave the event with Him who has commanded us to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. For, after we have received the light, and the truth has been made plain to us, and we are fully persuaded that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is the day that God has enjoined upon us to keep, if we reject the light, and disobey his commands by listening to the voice of the enemy, we shall be brought into a dangerous place. Gross darkness will cover our minds, and, without the interposition of God's mercy through Jesus Christ, we shall be left to ourselves, and at last be found among those who shall drink the wine of the wrath of God, poured out without mixture, &c. The Lord pity such! God's people are to be a tried people; and if we are striving to do his will, we may expect to be reviled and have our names cast out as evil, and suffer reproach for Christ's sake; but if we suffer with him for the sake of the truth, we also have the promise that we shall reign with him. And it is written that it is better, if the will of God be so, that we suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. 1 Pet. 1:17. We have but a short time allotted us in which to form characters that will stand the test, and be acceptable to God, and will give us a passport to that better country where Jesus has gone to prepare mansions for those who endure unto the end. We have no time to listen to anything but the truth. Oh! then let us cling fast to the truth, that we may be sanctified thereby, and be made meet for an immortal crown. Then if we suffer for righteousness' sake, we can with full confidence of faith exclaim in the language of the apostle, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Rom. 8:18.