An Illustration by Uriah Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 25, 1875

An Illustration.

By Uriah Smith

THE following paragraph from a letter written by Miss Sisson from India, and published in “Life and Light for Women” for March 1875, shows how a mark in the forehead is used at the present time in oriental countries and illustrates the references to it found in the Scriptures. Speaking of her efforts to evangelize the native women she says:—

“The women say, as I talk with them from house to house, ‘Yes, we also wish to be Christians.’ It is an Oriental politeness, and means little. To show them we know their lack of whole-hearted desire for the truth, we reply, ‘Well, if you really wish it, God will make you such. He is ready now to do it; but you must give yourself to him wholly, leaving all sin, ceasing to worship idols.’—‘Yes, we are ready for that,’ they say. ‘Will you rub off those marks from your foreheads?’ Each one has a tutelary god, whose sign is painted on the forehead; and this question usually causes confusion in the camp of the enemy.”

Asking them to rub off the mark in their foreheads, brings the matter to an issue at once. Paganism is not the only religion that has a mark for the foreheads of its disciples. It is found in Christendom as well; and no greater stir can be produced here in the camp of the enemy than a warning against receiving that mark.

U. S.