p. 7 | PREJUDICE by G. T. Wilson

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 20, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 33.

PREJUDICE

By G. T. Wilson

BY G. T. WILSON.

“Truth is the gem for which we seek; O, tell us where shall it be found?”

What a pleasant thought is here expressed! What an excellent principle is here laid down! To every honest inquirer after the truth, in whatever branch of knowledge, the principle expressed in the above lines will be the motive which prompts in every investigation.

“’Tis truth that binds, and truth makes free, And sets the soul at liberty.”

“O, happy they who in their youth Are brought to know and love the truth; For none but those whom truth makes free, Can e’er enjoy true liberty!”

There are many, like Pilate, who, when the Saviour said that he came to bear witness to the truth, will ask, “What is truth?” but, like Pilate, they do not stop to get the answer. Prejudice turned Pilate’s ear away from the truth, and he listened to the clamors of the Jewish mob, and sent to the cross as a criminal Him whom he had declared innocent only a few moments before. Such is the power of prejudice over men. It shuts the ears of men to the truth, and makes them narrow-minded bigots. To illustrate this point, witness the frantic efforts of the Jewish rulers and people when the saintly Stephen was brought before them, and was meekly declaring the truth of the Gospel before the council. They listened until the truth cut across their ears lest they should hear something they did not like, they ran upon that noble man of God, and, with wild cries of inhuman madness, they stoned him to death. You ask what did it?—Prejudice, the father of intolerance.

The God of the universe says to the erring children of men, “Come now, let us reason together,” but how seldom will erring mortals sit down and calmly reason together about the truths of God’s word, or even of the common affairs of life. Prejudice is an ugly dog kept by the owner of a mansion that would drive away or tear in pieces those who might be his master’s best friends, if they attempt to enter. Like a cork in a bottle, it must be extracted, to allow anything to be put in or taken out of the bottle. It is the dog in the manger which will not permit anything to eat the hay, and he can not eat it himself. All no doubt despise it, yet how few are free from its influence.

Charlotte Haskins well expressed the sincere desire of every one who is eagerly seeking to find the truth, when she said:—

“We want the truth on every point; We want it, too, to practice by.”

The human understanding was given to us that we might weigh what claimed to be the truth, and try the things that differ, and, rejecting error, cling only to the truth, and let that actuate our lives. If this is done, we must “prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” 1 Thess. 5:21, 22. So we should prove by candid examination whether a thing is true or false, before we receive or reject it. Prejudice condemns, unheard and unexamined, but true wisdom asks, “Doth our law judge any man before it hear him, and know what he doeth?” Prejudice may cry, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” The right answer was given, “Come and see.”

Prejudice is one of the greatest hindrances to true knowledge with which the human mind contends. It is very easy to receive opinions from those around us, from father or mother, minister or teacher, and the mighty man, whether in religion or politics, literature or science, and to consider them as true, without making examination to know for ourselves the truth of the opinions received. And on many points in art and science it may not be very essential that we search to find the true secrets of these matters which have no special connection with our moral duties to our Creator and fellow-creatures; but for those duties which we owe to God and men we should search until we know the truth. Where are the youth who are taught by parents and teachers to make truth the main object of their search when investigating the opinions of others? Where are the men and women who are so in love with truth that they are always ready to say, when questions of duty and religion are up for investigation:—

“Truth is the gem for which we seek; O, tell us where shall it be found?”

Are not far too many so wedded to old ideas, customs, and traditions that they will not stop to “prove all things,” that they may hold to the good and cast away the evil? Are there not too many to-day like Israel of old, of whom the Lord said, “Ye have eaten the fruit of lies; because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men”?

Men might come much closer to each other in religious reforms, and accomplish much more good for humanity in all the relations of life, if they were not so ready to get upon the judgment seat, and give decisions about the beliefs and practices of others before they have examined them. The Scriptures have truly expressed the results of such a course, in the following language, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” But this is what prejudice does.

God has said: “Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Wo unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Wo unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink; which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust; because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” Isa. 5:22–24. Where blind prejudice controls entirely, “none calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth; they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.” “And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity can not enter.” Isa. 59:4, 14.

If in a community of the above description any one was found who would lay aside prejudice and after careful investigation accept

of what he believed to be the truth, the language of the prophet of God would be found true: “He that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey; and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.”

Prejudice, according to Webster, means: “To prepossess with unexamined opinions, or opinions formed without due knowledge of the facts and circumstances attending the question; to bias the mind of, by hasty and incorrect notions; to give an unreasonable bent to, as to the one side or the other of a cause.” So prejudice bends the mind to one side, and fills the mind with incorrect notions and unsound opinions; and this shuts the door to truth.

Again and again do we see repeated the ill effects of holding onto some preconceived opinion or habit, tho it may bring loss of health, of virtue, of property, yea, even life itself, because men will let blind prejudice lead them into the ditch of destruction. If men do not love truth enough to search, find, receive, and act upon its teachings, then they will take what is left when truth is rejected, that is, lies; they will walk in paths of unrighteousness, exalt human tradition above the word of God, adopt a form of godliness, but quench the power of God, that would change and transform them if received.

Let us search for truth as for hid treasure; let us part with all we have, to obtain the field which contains this treasure; let us be sure to obtain this pearl of great price, for our Saviour said in his prayer to his Father for his followers, “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” John 17:17. May our daily prayer be to have our souls open to receive and obey the truth, which sanctifies, and fits us to dwell with our Creator and Redeemer in mansions of light.

Palmerston, N. Z.