Late at Church | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 14, 1872

Late at Church.

“Lord, how delightful ’tis to see, A whole assembly worship thee.”

BUT how is that delight marred by those who fail to conform—as to posture during prayer and singing—to the usages of those with whom they worship; and most of all, by the coming in of the laggard after the service has commenced. When the time of commencing public worship has been fixed by the united action or general assent of a Christian congregation, every member of that congregation is obligated to conform to that arrangement; and whoever is behind the time through indolence or indifference, sins against God, his fellow-worshipers, and his own good. A tardy courtier offends his prince—how much more a tardy worshiper his God.

To be behind time at a business appointment, is to infringe upon the time and rights of others, and never more so than when that business is worshiping God; and all persons, old or young, young especially, who, through slothfulness or carelessness, are late at the house of God, have reason to take “shame and confusion of face” unto themselves.