The Difficulty of the Situation.
By R. F. Cottrell
TO ASSUME that we are right, and consequently that all others are wrong, looks to our friends like egotism; yet if we did not believe that we were right, we should be hypocritical, and therefore wrong. If we are right, terrible times are before us, and the people are not prepared to escape the danger, and therefore there is the most urgent necessity that they should be warned. But the warning will give offense. Our friends can hardly bear to have these things pressed upon their attention. We seem to them to be egotistical, presumptuous and fanatical. But can we forbear to warn them, when we know from the unerring prophetic word that they are in imminent danger? We now seem overanxious to press our peculiar views upon them; but when it shall be too late for them to be benefited by the warning, will they not say to us, Had we seen and believed what you professed to, we should have raised the warning voice with more earnestness than you did. We should have acted as though we believed what we professed. You did not warn us in earnest as you ought. You saw our danger, but left us to ruin without an earnest effort to save us. Had you made an effort commensurate with the importance of the all-important truth which you professed, we might have been saved. We are lost, and lost forever, through your unfaithfulness. We must give the warning with as little offense as possible; but we must be in earnest in giving the warning. R. F. COTTRELL.