Rebellion by Jos. Clarke

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 20, 1872

Rebellion.

By Jos. Clarke

Some thirty-four years ago, a young man, J. A.—left college, somewhat shattered in mind, and went to work at hard labor, on a canal then being constructed in Ohio.

Soon his fellow-laborers appreciated the state of the case, and began to ridicule and annoy him, as he was decidedly of a religious turn of mind. At one time, his comrades requested him to preach, merely to see what he would do. He accepted the invitation, on condition that they would listen quietly to him, for one hour and a half.

As the man had been really a fine scholar, he began a discourse, very deep and searching; and it was not long before his audience began to be impatient, hearing his convincing and truthful arguments.

Soon they began to interrupt him, and by their frequent disturbance, so annoyed the preacher that he paused in his discourse and reminded them of their promise to listen quietly to him for one hour and a half; and again he proceeded with his powerful demonstrations, showing them the wickedness of man, and his utter hopelessness out of Christ. Again he was interrupted, and so noisy did they become that the preacher was forced to cease; but with the remark that he had only begun to show them the terrible nature of sin. They replied that if he had only begun, what would he prove? and when would it end? they did not want to hear more. Here we have an index of the rebellion hidden in the human heart.

It is not pleasant to hear about the corruption of the human heart, especially if it is proved, that we are the sinners ourselves. It is extremely painful to the carnal heart to have its carnality exposed to view; it rebels against it; none but the humble, contrite soul rejoices in the plain testimony. The ancient prophets were often persecuted because they plainly spoke the counsel of God. May the people of God now be able to receive the testimony now being given to them.

Perilous times are upon us, and more perilous times are yet at hand; darkness covers the earth. May we as a people, let our light shine before our fellow-men, in such a manner that God may be glorified. Jos. Clarke.