Conscientiousness by Wm. C. Gage

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 15, 1875

Conscientiousness.

By Wm. C. Gage

ONE of the most noticeable sins of the present age is a lack of conscientiousness; indeed, a class who are to flourish in the last days are characterized by the prophet as “having their consciences seared with a hot iron.” The reason why the truths of the third angel’s message do not control the masses who hear them is not because they are not sufficiently conclusive, but because the people are not sufficiently conscientious to obey what they feel and acknowledge to be the truth.

A sister who, together with her excellent husband, now rejoices in present truth, was formerly a member of the orthodox church. Her pastor visited her with the hope of dissuading her husband and herself from leaving the church. He told her that she had been led into this belief by reason of her extreme conscientiousness. She told him that on first hearing on the Sabbath question in the tent, her desires were aroused to hear more, and be convinced as to the truth of the subject. To this he replied, “That was just the time when you should have left off going to the tent!”

Is it any wonder that the flock do not hear and follow the voice of the Chief Shepherd when the under shepherds thus lead them? The time to stifle conscientious convictions, according to this pastor, is when they are first aroused, and before conscience can assert her rights and take the lead. In other words, the child of truth must be strangled at its birth, so that error may continue to triumph over it.

Extreme conscientiousness is a jewel, alas! too rare in this degenerate age; but it leads its possessor to obey the truth even though it be unpopular, and hence is an inconvenient appendage to a popular, world-loving Christianity.

The remedy for it is well set forth by the minister’s advice to his flock to stay away from the place where conscience becomes aroused. Nothing is so effectual in searing the conscience as a disregard of its earliest monitions, and the enemy of all righteousness knows this full well. Hence his efforts are always directed toward keeping the people from hearing enough to thoroughly awaken conscience, realizing that when once aroused it is more dangerous to the interests of his kingdom than when quietly slumbering.

I thank God that there is still a remnant who have kept their consciences tender, notwithstanding the error and darkness by which they are surrounded, and when the truth finds them, they gladly respond to its claims and receive its benefits.

Wm. C. Gage.

Langdon, N. H.