A GREAT OPPORTUNITY by W. N. G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 15, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 50.

“A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.”

By W. N. G.

“SUNDAY” is a great opportunity that is given us for cultivating elements in our character which if not so cultivated do practically get stunted in the mechanical routine and thoughtless urgency of business.”—Exchange.

This is an unwarranted narrowing down to one day in seven the “great opportunity” which should comprehend every day. The whole probationary life of man is a “great opportunity” for “cultivating” character to bring it into harmony with the character of God, which character is expressed in His law, and is the same every day. The man whose “mechanical routine” and “urgency of business” six days in the week is an habitual offset to his one day of character cultivation, will not soon attain that degree of excellence in which there will be reflected the likeness of Christ. The man who takes one step forward and six backward will not soon reach “the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” If he would win that prize, he must “press toward the mark” every day.

The sentiment expressed in the little excerpt at the head of these remarks is the Sunday-law theory in a nutshell,—the duty of cultivating character on Sunday is so urgent that there must needs be a State law to enforce it. The same article cites some specific duties for Sunday which are evidently supposed to be omitted on other days, but the omission may be atoned for by a strict observance on Sunday. For instance, we have the exhortation:—

“Seclude yourself for some time with God; make a duty of seriously considering your ways, your habits, your disposition. Let your mind rest on the great Gospel facts, the life, the love, the death, the resurrection of Christ. Seek your Lord’s presence and address Him with the words your own thoughts of Him suggest, and you will learn how reasonable and fruitful an appointment it is that from all your ordinary works you should rest every seventh day.”

Now the one who exercises himself unto godliness only on one day in the week will not find the “appointment” on that day a very “reasonable” or a very “fruitful” one. He may find some gratification in trying to compel other people to follow his hypocritical example on that day, but in that and in his being seen of men he will have his reward. The object of probation in this life is to cultivate such character as is expressed by the apostle John: “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He [Christ] is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17. His was no mere Sunday character: His was an every-day example; so also is that of the true disciple. W. N. G.