p. 71 | Jottings by Jos. Clarke

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 16, 1870

Jottings.

By Jos. Clarke

The Christian is one who does not allow himself to be influenced by surrounding circumstances. He is led by the Spirit of God, and is governed by the principles of God's word. He carries an influence for good. If he has trials, they drive him near to God. Prosperity incites him to gratitude, and acts of liberality and humility. Difficulties stimulate him to prayer and watchfulness.

The man who has not patience and love to instruct his children, should not have entered upon the family relation. He would have done better, to have banished himself from his kind, before his children were born.

Guilt can only be removed by repentance, confession, and pardon.

As a general thing, our trials should not be made public. A man need not present his disagreeable and trying circumstances in his exhortations in meeting. (I do not speak of the duties of public men in high stations.) But one of the most useful of laymen in the church at G. was one in severe trial. He had a painful disease; his wife was partly deranged; she was very annoying; he was very poor; he had the sole responsibility in his house of all its cares; yet at meeting his countenance beamed with holy emotions. You might hear him at almost every social meeting. For eight years I was generally an attendant with him at the meetings of the church; yet in all this time, I never once, to my knowledge, spoke of his trials. Yet his influence for good was perhaps equal to that of the pastor, and to say this is no disparagement to the minister.

Jos. CLARKE.