Meditations by Joseph Clarke

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 17, 1884

Meditations.

By Joseph Clarke

THIS word is defined, "Close continued thought upon any subject." To arrange our thoughts and put them in order, and keep them in their proper place and upon profitable subjects, is certainly a noble employment, and one that will, in the end, yield a large reward. To do this aright, it is of the first importance that one should have rules to be governed by, in harmony with the mind of Him who created us, and made us reasonable and intelligent beings, else we might err in our mental pursuits, and waste our time in idle fancies and reveries which would be of no use to us or any one else, but rather a detriment. Jesus told his disciples that he would send them the Comforter, who would bring to mind the words he had spoken to them; such words as these: "Blessed are the pure in heart;" "Blessed are the meek;" "Blessed are the merciful;" "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness." And the apostle Paul gives us topics of thought. Whatsoever things are of good report, true, pure, lovely, think on these things.

The Bible, if carefully read, furnishes an abundant supply of material for meditation, which can never be exhausted. The description of faith, as given by Paul in the 11th chapter of Hebrews, is a subject of great interest,—all interwoven with the experience of good men in all ages, and under all circumstances. Whether in prosperity or adversity, on the throne or in the dungeon, honored or dishonored, in poverty or wealth, faith is the same crowning virtue to the overcomer. The history of the favored people of God, from Abraham to Moses, and from Moses to Paul, and from Paul to Luther, and from Luther to Wesley, and from Wesley to the present time, is a subject of surpassing interest. And when we consider their many trials, as well as their comforts and blessings and encouragements, we find abundant food for meditation.

But the one great theme of our meditations should ever be (while here), how we may best overcome the world, the flesh, and the arch-enemy of all good; how we may best serve God and how win souls to him; how we may avoid the mistakes of the past, and the sins to which we are in bondage, and grow in grace every day. Certainly it will not be by meditating upon the failures of others, but rather by drawing near to God in prayer, at all times and under all circumstances.

To attempt to lay out a particular plan of meditation for all, would be in vain. The Bible, the history of the church, the history of the rise and fall of nations, all furnish vast fields for thought; and each one can begin where he pleases, only let him have one end in view—the will of God. This will lead out in profitable meditation, as one subject well received only opens the door to others, more and more interesting as we advance. Whatever hinders or forbids meditation should be put far away from us and kept out of the heart. Often let us, as we have opportunity and leisure, think of God's dealings with us and with the world; often let us think of the lives of holy men, and their joyous departure, and of the fate of evil men and wicked nations.

The fall of man from his first high and holy state of happiness and of innocence, and the grand, comprehensive scheme of redemption, are subjects on which we may meditate with ever-increasing interest and profit. At no time in the history of the church has there been so much light upon these points as at the present time. The efforts of those opposed to the moral law of ten commands to evade the force of that law, and their ingeniously-framed methods of sustaining their errors, have called forth the eloquence and zeal of good men to sustain the all-important principles embodied in the decalogue, and the position which the moral law holds in the great and benevolent plan of redemption. Never before in the history of man has this subject been so thoroughly discussed as it has within the past thirty-five years; the effort made by Sunday advocates to sustain that child of the papacy has led them to an unscrupulous freedom in handling the word of God, and they have in numberless ways sought to evade the force of the fourth precept of the moral law. At each point, however, they have been met by the advocates of truth, and with tireless vigilance the watchmen upon the walls of Zion still meeting these armies of the enemy.

Not less interesting are the battles which truth is waging with other errors, all hoary with age; and never was the hydra-headed monster of error so fully supplied with heads as now. Spiritualism (witchcraft), Mormonism, and the various shades of apostasy, are represented by men whose brains are addled by Darwin or Ingersoll; and new and complex forms of error are the result. Complications of error, such as never before existed, are arising. Men, who a few years ago were considered sound in the faith, are changing their views gradually, and introducing ideas more in harmony with the carnal mind. Never before was there so great danger of apostasy, and never before were apostasies so frequent. Satan's influence was never before so widely felt, nor was it ever before so seductive and powerful; amid all these, and ten thousand dangers and perils, we are living and laboring.

How few are they who meditate to any good purpose; how few are preparing for the battle which is already being fought. Truth and error are even now in the field; the armies have been skirmishing for many years. The law of God is the great issue of the day; opposite armies represent the two great principles,—one is for the law of God, the other is anti-law, or antinomian. Zeal to prop up the Sunday prompts men who have the appearance of being good to place themselves firmly on antinomian ground; custom holds the multitude in the fatal net, and the war-cry is even now arising. Very soon a pitched battle will be fought; a battle of arguments and of votes; a battle in which God's people will uphold his truth, and the multitude will uphold the opinions and traditions of men. Contrary to the foresight of blind error, the minority will sustain the banner of the cross; and, like their Master before them, will gain ultimately the victory through deep affliction.

To keep from backsliding and apostasy, we may well apply ourselves to meditation and prayer; this will stimulate us to action, and prepare us for right action. Perils are now thickening around us; we must be thoroughly educated to this work. JOSEPH CLARKE.