S. N. HASKELL by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 16, 1872

S. N. HASKELL

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

Conversion. No. 2.

THERE is no greater evidence that the heart is not renewed by the grace of God than the affinity that is manifested between it and the world—a continual leaning to the follies and fashions of this life. Lot's wife is referred to by the Saviour as representing some that will make a fatal mistake in the service of God, and is set forth as a warning to all. The trouble in her case was that her heart remained in Sodom when she went out. Her affections entwined around her family and interests in the doomed city, and involuntarily she turned round, contrary to the instruction of the angel, and immediately became a monument of God's displeasure. Had she taken her heart with her, and had her eye been singly fixed upon the city of refuge before her, she might have been saved.

I fear there are many even in the present truth in the same condition that she was. They have started out from this world—have taken a few steps toward the kingdom of God, but their hearts are in the world, they have professed to leave. There is a continual hankering for fashions, follies, and old habits left.

We say to such, There is but one remedy; take your hearts with you and fix your eye upon the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. We shall be unable to change our affections in our own strength; and it may cost agonizing cries unto God, and anguish of spirit, “but strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able.” There must be an advance made in having the affections weaned from this world.

The fruit of our life will show the condition of the heart. If it has never been broken, but simply consented to conform to right, because of a pressure of circumstances, like a bent bow it will long for a conformity to this world; but if the heart is broken it will then be weaned from this world. “Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”