Pride and Its Dangers to the Church
By A Friend to Zion
“Only by pride cometh contention,” is the expression of Solomon. This is a subject that is seldom treated upon, and the reason is obvious; mortals are so subject to its spirit, they are unwilling to have the truth told them. He feels like one who said, “I hate that prophet, for he prophesies evil concerning me and not good.” It is to be feared that too many of the professed servants of Christ shrink from reproving, lest they should offend. The temptation of the enemy is, “These are my good, rich friends; if I reprove them for their luxury and pride, I shall lose their friendship.” The rich are the very characters that the servants of God ought to reprove, rebuke, and exhort to set an example of self-denial. Those that have the materials to gratify the pride of life should set the example for the poor; this would be learning of Christ; he was rich, but for our sake became poor. He set an example of deprivation. Suffer me, though unworthy, to entreat my fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, in Christ, whom God has given wealth, to lay aside superfluities, and pride, that baneful root that is so troublesome in the garden of Christ. The nature of this root is such, that if it is broken off in one place, it will sprout in another. It requires a diligent, watchful care, lest this root hinders the plant of grace growing. Much is said of temperance. I am pleased with it; but I want to have it extended as far as the apostle recommended it: Be thou temperate in all things. I find a deficiency in myself; I see it in others in every denomination. It is pride that produces contention among different orders. If pride was slain, contention would cease. The question may be asked, How shall this great oak be cut down? Let every one that wishes to see more primitive religion flourish strike a blow at it, both by precept and example. Use the gospel ax. Lay it at the root, and it must fall. Let us bring the question home to ourselves, Do we not cultivate this root of bitterness more than the seed of grace? Do we not make more exertion, daily, to gratify the pride of life and superfluities thereof, than we do in striving to inform ourselves of truths of the gospel? If we spend a little more time in searching the Scriptures, that will inform us of this evil root. Pride is that evil that God hates. Jeremiah says, Give ear; be not proud; for the Lord has spoken. He said if they would not hear, his soul should weep in secret places for their pride. Now, since pride is that which God hates and led the prophet to weep, does it not become us, the professed followers of Christ, to suppress this growing evil? Let us commence anew to clip the thrifty branches. We are not to be discouraged if we do not succeed in slaying this enemy in one week, or one month. Let us be laying aside every weight, and perhaps we are already convinced that pride is the heaviest weight that we carry, and impedes our Christian race the most of any weight, the greatest part of trouble that people complain of. If we trace the stream to the fountain, we shall find it originates from pride. It was this evil that first produced contention between David and Saul. It was said, Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands. Saul thought there was not so much honor conferred on him as was on David. Now to all the professed disciples of Christ, whom I love in the truth: If you desire peace of mind, and a good hope that dispels doubts and fears, crucify pride. If you desire to feel that sweet communion with Jesus that you enjoyed when you first espoused the cause of Christ, crucify pride; for what communion has light with darkness? Christ is light; pride is a trait of darkness. While that spirit is nourished, there is no sweet union with Jesus; a cold heart, weak faith, disregard for the Scriptures, is the fruit; family and closet prayer becomes a burden. By neglecting duty, the mind becomes unfruitful. Pride comes in, and says, You can’t pray as well as you did once, you better not pray at all. The young convert has got more grace than you have. Here pride prevents mortals doing their duty. Pride displays itself in various ways; sometimes good gifts prove a snare. The enemy tells the child of God, You have spoken well, and prayed and preached the best. Now pride in this channel is more dangerous than the former, for it is a wound that is not so easily discovered, therefore, it is more dangerous. It is very evident that if the child of God grows proud of the gift that Heaven has bestowed, God will send leanness into the soul. The prayer of my heart is, that those that have a small gift may not be ashamed of it, and those that have a great one may not be proud of it. A great gift without great grace proves a stumbling-block to the world. They say such ones talk well, but they don’t live well; they are as proud and love the world as well as I do. If these lines should be read by those that love the world better than the cross, it will be an unpleasant message. I have written the feelings of my mind so plain, perhaps it may not be so well pleasing to some; however, I think all difficulty on this subject will vanish when the soul is filled with the good, humble spirit. My prayer to God is that some one with a deeper mind and better heart may be constrained by the Spirit of God to continue this subject. We need line upon line, and precept upon precept, on this subject. It cannot fail of hitting every one that reads or writes it. I consider that a subject that will reprove every class of people, high and low, rich and poor, ought to be often dwelt upon in order to show its heinous nature. Should one soul resolve to overcome the pride of life, I shall be amply compensated for my time. One thing I have learned in my short pilgrimage, that every one that feeds pride starves the soul, produces disappointments, discontent, anxiety, and tribulations of various kinds; and those that crucify pride, enjoy peace of mind, and a bright prospect of that rest that remains for the people of God. They can submit to the changing scenes of a checkered life with a cheerful resignation. This is the advantage we may derive in crucifying pride.—Christian Palladium.