Our Present Duty by John M. Hopkins

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 5, 1903

Our Present Duty

By John M. Hopkins

JOHN M. HOPKINS

It is not usually difficult for me to arrange my thoughts, nor to find words suitable to express them. But for some time there has been an intensity of feeling which I find it difficult to express. And the only solution I can give for this is that the great day of God is just before us. The crisis of the world is here! Everything emphatically declares this. In the physical world the agitation of the forces of nature proclaims it. In the religious world the rapid decline from Bible and primitive holiness proclaims it. In the social world the evils that have obtained, and the unrest, and the wild race for fashion and for pleasure proclaim it. In the financial world the mad rush for money, for possessions; the cruel oppressions of the poor,—these proclaim it. The complete fulfillment of the many lines of prophecy proclaims it. The fulfillment of the many signs of that important event proclaims it. We all at least profess to believe this—all who read these lines say they know this is true.

Well, then, what are we, as intelligent men and woman, going to do in view of this? Are we going to buy more land and build more fine houses and barns, and bury our means and talents in this world to be consumed? Are we going to gratify pride, and ambition, and appetite, and lust, and every desire of the carnal heart, when we know that both we and our possessions can remain but a little while? Brethren and sisters, is that just the thing to do?

Now we know that Jesus said, “Occupy till I come,” and that we should certainly do. We should follow our various crafts and occupations diligently. Every duty and responsibility should be faithfully discharged. The family and home interests should be carefully attended to. That is Christianity. Nothing short of this will meet the mind of God. If ever there was a time when God’s people should be examples of industry and integrity, it is the present time. If ever the time was when men should be manly men, and women womanly women, it is this time. That is Christianity. Nothing else than this will meet the mind of God.

But this does not mean that we should do all this with a view to this life only. In business we should acquire every dollar that we can honestly, and consistently with the principles of righteousness. Then we should study, and pray, and plan to use our means to the best possible advantage. And every dollar, and dime, and nickel, and penny that is not actually required to supply our needs, to make our families and ourselves comfortable and respectable (not to imitate the unnecessary and sinful fashions of the world), should be placed in the cause of Christ. That is where it belongs. It seems to me that as a people to whom God has committed the soul-thrilling message that we have, it should and must be our study to do all in our power to carry it forward. It should be the one thing nearest the heart. We should work, plan, pray; cut off needless expenses, economize; in short, just make this the grand object of life. This does not mean to become fanatical. It means to use good Christian judgment in all we do. Consult necessity in our gratifications rather than sinful inclination. I am not making a coat for others to wear; it fits me also. And this is what I feel. I know that I can do better. I know that many of our people could cut down many unnecessary expenses, which in the aggregate would amount to many thousands of dollars that ought to be put into the Lord’s work. I am fully convinced that if we would make the work of God our first object, the Lord’s treasury would speedily be filled, the rich blessing of heaven would be poured out upon his people, and the work would go with such mighty power that we would all soon be at home.

Isn’t that so, brethren? When we really think we want a certain thing, we work, and plan, and contrive until we get our desired object. Now suppose we as earnestly desired to help the cause of Christ, suppose we really loved the Saviour with all our hearts, and really longed for his appearing, suppose we most earnestly desired to be taken to our beautiful city home, don’t you think we would all work, pray, and plan to deny ourselves of every needless thing in order to aid his precious cause, so our hope could be the sooner realized? I believe this is true. Our zeal for the cause of God may be accurately estimated by the effort we make in its behalf. Not by noise and excitement, but by holy living, by calm, deliberate thought and action.

If God’s remnant, commandment-keeping people were in heart and life as intimately identified with the interests of Christ’s kingdom as he is identified with their best present and eternal interests, what a mighty change would come to his precious cause! How the means would pour in for the prosecution of the work! How the tract and missionary work would rise! How men and women would press into the work until thousands would be heralding the glad message of redeeming love everywhere!

And may not this be? It must be, it will be! And this is not confined to the educated and the wealthy. You, my brother, my sister, although in the really humble walk of life, can do something for Jesus. You can do the best you are able

and his blessing will make that little very much. And it is when we all—fathers, mothers, children, old and young, everywhere—consecrate our all to Christ, to work, to pray, to plan, to save for him,—it is then that the blessing of the Lord will come to our hearts, our homes, our churches; the cause of God will rise in the earth, and victory and immortality will speedily crown our efforts.

For this blessed result let us arise and press forward in the strength of Israel’s God.