The Truth Rejected by C. O. TAYLOR

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 18, 1875

The Truth Rejected.

By C. O. TAYLOR

I do not believe the wicked receive their full punishment for a course of sin in this life, yet I am confident that justice sometimes overtakes those who will not obey the plain requirements of God, even in this life. If men will persist in opposing right and truth, when they know, or might know, that by their acts they defy the claims of God, and set aside his authority, he will give them over to their own ways, to commit some act that will bring a stain upon them never to be wiped out.

There is a man in jail, in Oswego Co., N. Y., charged with the murder of his wife. Several years ago I visited the neighborhood in which this man's father resided to hold meetings. I called the attention of the people to the claims that God has upon them as revealed in his law. I showed them that the law was holy, just, and good, immutable, eternal, that to break it was wrong; that to do the things forbidden, or leave undone the things required, was sin; and that sin would in time bring upon the sinner the punishment due his crime.

The interest was good. The house was filled with attentive hearers. There was good order. The father of the man now charged with murder was the first to come out against the law of God. He got his minister to come and oppose the truth. He came, and caused confusion. He turned a part of the people against the truth. They went very far in this bad work, and tried to break up the meetings. There was a man living in the neighborhood who claimed to be a minister, but had no reputation for honesty, of whom it was reported, and generally believed, that he was given to stealing. By his wrong course he had fallen so low that none would hear him preach; but when this man gave out that he could put down the law of God and show that God's Sabbath need not be kept, the people turned out to hear him. The man whose son is now under the law for one of the darkest crimes on record was first in the crowd to hear and learn, and to correct one of his sons for making some little noise, although the same boy was allowed to attend my meetings and make confusion of all kinds.

Five years have brought changes. The minister has given up preaching and is partially insane. The son of the man who opposed the truth so violently is charged with the murder of his wife, and morals generally are low in the neighborhood. It might have been different. The Lord says, “Them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”

Justice sometimes lingers, but it is sure. It comes at last, and when it does come it falls heavy. Beware, you that turn away from God's authority. His law cannot be trampled upon and divine justice never overtake you. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay saith the Lord.”

C. O. TAYLOR.