Life’s Discipline by A. M. LOUGHBOROUGH

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 4, 1877

Life’s Discipline.

By A. M. LOUGHBOROUGH

An Essay, read before the Signs of the Times Literary Society, August 16.

“Life is real, life is earnest,” are words of one of our own American poets, and found in a short poem called, “A Psalm of Life.” A truer sentiment was never expressed; and though there be mysteries connected with our existence, such that cannot be solved, we know of a certainty that we do live, and at times are “overburdened with a sense of life, and cause, and consequence,” and to intensify the thought we add, life is short. Should we live the allotted time for man, three-score years and ten, and if by reason of strength they be four-score, it would then be comparatively short, but when we consider that the average life of man is not half that number we say emphatically, life is short.

We just begin to live when life ceases. We have time merely to taste of earth’s joys, its pleasures and its honors. We experience its sorrows, its toils and hardships, and then the summons comes, and we must go. Go where? To the place from whence none ever return. Where the rich and poor, learned and unlearned, young and old, bond and free are alike food for worms. And is this all there is to life? Is it indeed like a vapor that passeth away, and like grass that springs from the earth and withers, and like the flowers that blossom and decay? Is it to pass away like smoke or the wind that cometh not again?

Job, the afflicted of the Lord, bereft of all that was dearest in life, swept, as it were with a breath, of friends, wealth, honor, and almost life itself, held in contempt by his own familiar friends, could with unwavering faith, and unlimited confidence exclaim, “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold and not another.” David the sweet singer of Israel, while contrasting the life of the righteous with those who have their portion in this world says, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy likeness.” John, the beloved disciple, with the same undaunted assurance affirms, “That though the earth shall pass away and the lust thereof, he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”

There is then life for the righteous beyond this, and as we turn the sacred pages of inspiration evidence accumulates that strengthen the belief that there is, for those who comply with the requirements of the written word, a far better and brighter world than this.

It is only to those who reject the calls of offered mercy, trample the law of Jehovah under their feet and spurn the tender, persuasive pleadings of the Holy Spirit that the future is dark and uncertain.

The Lord in mercy often leads his chosen in strange and crooked paths. Often does he call them to travel the same road over and over again, be it ever so rough and thorny, all because the lesson he designed should be learned on passing the way the first time was not learned.

The life of the Christian can be compared to that of a student. Carefully does the diligent pupil prepare each day’s lesson. Many, very many times is it studied and reviewed before it is perfectly learned. The weary brain throbs, and the discouraged sigh may be heard, and the tear drop seen as, perhaps, the clock strikes the midnight hour, and still the task is incomplete. The morrow comes, and with it the imperative command of the tutor, “Take the lesson over again.” So month after month plods the student till his mind becomes disciplined to think long and well, and is fully prepared to grapple with the most difficult problems.

The Christian enters the school of Christ all covered with imperfections. An entire change must be wrought in his character. He must be refined and polished, fitted for the Master’s use; and to affect this he is tested in various ways. Sometimes by prosperity, and then by adversity and afflictions. He is disappointed, perplexed, and tempted, yet in all this the Lord is carefully guiding, so much so that not a hair of his head falls to the ground without his notice; though he chastens he pities.

Although the Christian marvels at the straitness of the way, and at times grows weary in it, he is beckoned on by the example of those who have traveled the way before him. He thinks of David, the son of Jesse, a humble lad tending his father’s flocks upon the hills of Bethlehem. He thinks of him as a pious youth, when on hearing the defiant words of the boastful Goliath, in the name of the Lord he throws the well directed stone, and the giant falls, and then is heard in all the cities of Israel this triumphant song; “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” He thinks of him as the prosperous king of Israel, possessing unrestricted power. He thinks of him as he crosses the brook Kidron fleeing from his rebellious son Absalom, and as ascending the Mount of Olives, barefooted, with his head uncovered, and weeping. Then comes the rebellion of Adonijah, and Sheba, the famine and plague upon his afflicted people, and finally when the crimes of Joab are rehearsed, the king cries out, Oh that I had the wings, like a dove; then would I fly away and be at rest.

Such in brief was the life of David, the man after God’s own heart. And were these trials unfruitful? Witness his humility, and nobleness of character, and deep piety. Do not these trials shine forth with greater luster after these afflictions than ever before?

We might multiply examples of this nature, but this alone is sufficient to show the Lord’s manner of disciplining, subduing and softening man’s spirit and that it is all needful for the perfecting of character that we may be fitted to live here in this life, and be prepared to live the better and unending life.

A. M. LOUGHBOROUGH.