Press Forward by N. Orcutt

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 25, 1871

Press Forward.

By N. Orcutt

“FORGETTING those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark,” &c. Phil. 3: 13, 14.

The example of the apostle, thus stated, is worthy of imitation by all who are striving to overcome. It is not safe to trust in the experience of the past. To-day brings its duties and its dangers, and while the discharge of those duties claims our attention, by watchfulness and vigilance we may avert the impending danger. While we may dwell upon the past as a source of encouragement, we may not safely base our hope upon anything short of a present, lively sense of our acceptance with God. And how may we expect to have this, without a present experience—the result of present effort, the discharge of present duty?

To lean upon the experience of the past will result in dwarfing our moral faculties, blunting our nice perceptions of right and wrong, and utterly unfitting us for the conflict before us. Our Father justly demands of us a growth in grace, an increase in the knowledge of the truth. In this we see manifest an interest in our welfare; for we cannot without these successfully meet and overcome the influences and obstacles we encounter; and we can attain to neither while we weakly and supinely rely only upon our past experience.

Growth in grace necessitates the gaining of an experience which we can obtain only in one way, in battling now with the stern realities of active life; not merely to maintain a defensive position, but to engage in an aggressive warfare. In the exercise of our faculties we gain strength for future conflicts; failing to exercise them, we are crippled and grow weaker day by day.

Cheered by the recollection of the mercies and blessings so lavishly bestowed in the past, profiting by the mistakes and errors into which we have fallen, press forward. There are higher, better attainments for us in the great future, a better experience, a holier, more perfect, character. Unless we gain that experience, and develop that character, by bearing our individual responsibilities, our daily cross, we cannot pass unscathed the time of trouble before us. We cannot successfully cope with our wily foe, ever ready to take advantage of our want of experience and consequent weakness; we shall lack the strength of character requisite to enable us to stand against the varied influences which we encounter amid the last day perils.

Great dangers, severe trials, increasing perils, are before us. Nothing short of our best and most persistent efforts will make the conflict in which we are engaged a success. Nothing less than a daily victory will insure a final triumph.

“Forgetting the things which are behind, . . . press toward the mark.” Our motto must be, Onward, ever onward. To halt is always dangerous, to look back is certain destruction. But we may overcome. If we press the battle, always faithful, our Captain will guide us to certain victory. May we thus overcome, and wear the victor’s crown on the other shore. N. ORCUTT.