S. B. WHITNEY by S. B. Whitney

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 11, 1871

S. B. WHITNEY

By S. B. Whitney

Overcoming.

THIS is a subject upon which much has been said and written, and yet its importance at this stage in the history of the church can hardly be overestimated. It is not our design in this article to dwell upon its importance nor so much to define the nature or character of the work, as to give a few words of encouragement to those who may feel that their efforts and progress are not compatible with the greatness of the work to be accomplished. This is undoubtedly true of many, and in a degree of nearly or quite all; still there are honest souls who are really striving to overcome, that are tempted to discouragement because the work appears too great for them to accomplish. Of such we would inquire whether they are not able to discover some advancement in their Christian experience. Or to test the matter more closely, would you be willing, were it possible, to have all knowledge of the truth and the experience thus gained taken from you? Would you consider you had lost nothing in practical experience by such a change? Assuming that you admit having made some advancement, we would again inquire if that fact is not good evidence of ability to make still farther advancement, and farther still.

Having taken one step, can you not take the second, and the third, and so on, until Christian perfection, the goal at which you are aiming, is reached?

But perhaps you reply, The goal is so far in the distance, the attainments are so high, I never can reach them. Here your difficulty lies in taking in at a glance the whole distance over which you are only required to travel step by step, one step at a time.

While we should endeavor to appreciate the magnitude of the work before us, we should not allow ourselves to dwell upon it in a manner to so oppress our minds as to hinder our efforts or retard our progress in its accomplishment; but should bear in mind that the duty of the hour is required in the hour, and that a sufficiency of grace is promised; and remembering that our strength is increased and our speed accelerated in proportion to the distance we travel, we may rest assured that a faithful, persevering effort will compass the distance, be it ever so great. To illustrate: To enter upon a journey of a thousand miles on foot would seem at first almost like a hopeless undertaking, yet we can easily step over to the next neighbor's, and from there to the post office, and from there, with a little exertion, we can reach the next town; and if, instead of becoming weary, we found that we gained strength and attained a higher rate of speed the farther we traveled, the thousand miles' journey would be only a question of time and disposition, and not of ability, and would be likely to be accomplished if, at its close, we were sure of receiving a tenfold reward for our time and labor.

Thus it is in the heavenly journey. No impossibilities are required, and the reward is infinite. May the Lord help us to quicken our pace, to run with patience the race set before us.