THE RECORD | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 5, 1895

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 21, No. 35.

THE RECORD.

MANY years ago a man, brought before a tribunal, was told to relate his story freely, without fear, as it should not be used against him. He commenced to do so, but had not proceeded far before he heard the scratching of a pen behind a curtain. In an instant he was on his guard, for by that sound he knew that, notwithstanding their promise, a record was being taken of what he said.

Silently and unseen by us the angel secretaries are taking a faithful record of our words and actions, and even of our thoughts. Do we realize this? And a more solemn question, What is the record they are making?

Not long ago I read of a strange list. It was an exact catalogue of the crimes committed by a man who was at last executed on Norfolk Island, with the various punishments he had received for his different offenses. It was written out in small hand by the chaplain, and was nearly three yards long.

What a sickening catalogue to be crowded into one brief life! Yet this man was once an innocent child. A mother no doubt bent lovingly over him; a father perhaps looked upon him in pride and joy, and in imagination saw him rise to manhood, honored and trusted by his fellow-men. But the boy chose the path of evil and wrongdoing, regardless of the record he was making, and finally committed an act the penalty of which was death, and he perished miserably upon the scaffold.

Dear young reader, your record of life is but just commenced. O, be warned in time, and seek to have a list of which you will not be ashamed when scanned by Jehovah, angels, and men!—Selected.