A Retrospect by M. W. Howard

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 25, 1870

A Retrospect.

By M. W. Howard

A SHORT time ago, I was at a Methodist love-feast. One old brother spoke in enthusiastic raptures, of the joy of love-feasts in general, and of one in particular, the first one he ever attended, more than fifty years ago. That love-feast was held in a little corn-house, and some who were gathered there had come thirty miles to attend it. And I fell to musing how, since that day, he had seen Methodism progress and become popular; so popular that the plain, self-denying doctrines of the Bible had been lost sight of; and passion and love of the world had superseded them, till like other popular churches, they had too much of the form, and too little of the power, of godliness! and elsewhere must we look for the spiritual, godly people, that shall exhibit the true faith of Jesus.

Our pilgrim fathers sought these shores, that they might enjoy the rights of conscience and religious liberty; yet the time came ere long, when, as our historian has said, “They could not forbear to persecute the Quakers and whip the Baptists.” Then Methodism arose; for God has ever had, and ever will have, a lowly-minded and spiritual people, who shall be the depositaries of his sacred truth. And when, in turn, they succumbed to the corrupting influences of the world—became converted by the world (instead of converting the world), to its maxims and operations, another has arisen, seeking to walk humbly before their God. In view of these varied exemplifications of man's weakness, how fitting that we should “not be high-minded, but fear;” how wise to distrust ourselves.

But let us not distrust, nor lose faith in God; for unbelief has well been styled “the damning sin.” Jesus’ own words indicate as much when he says, “Convinced of sin, because they believed not on me.” What wonder, then, that Satan sometimes plies his most vigorous assaults at this point, until the trustful believer sometimes sits in bewilderment, between a too-believing past and an unknown future; knowing, however, that it is Satan’s temptation, and out of it he shall come, with feet more firmly planted upon the sure foundation, enabled to say, “I know in whom I have believed”! Mark the phraseology, not, what I have believed, but in whom; an actual, living person, unto whom even “the keeping of our souls is committed.” There is a difference between committing our souls to Jesus, and committing the “keeping” of them to him. Away with worrying, anxious care; for the “keeping” is secure, if we love him and keep his commandments, purifying ourselves as he is pure.

M. W. HOWARD.