STUDY HARD AND CATCH UP.
By G. F. HAINES
We often hear young men, and sometimes older ones, who have just embraced the truth, regret having lived in darkness so long. They say, If I had only been on the way as long as some of the other brethren, I should be all posted up, and ready for the field. How do you know, young man, that you would be so well informed in the truth if you had been as long on the way as some others have been? I know of but one way to judge what we might have been, and that is by the energy with which we labor to know something now. If we are satisfied with knowing little now, it would have been the same if we had embraced the truth years ago. If we put forth no effort to learn now, when these things are put in our reach, we certainly would not have done so when the truth had to be sought out by hard mental labor. It is all right to regret that we have lived so long a time in darkness; it is right, too, that we should look up to those men who have had years of experience in this work, and learn from them all we can; but that is not enough, we want to do more. We want to rightly and highly appreciate truth, and then bend all our energies to obtain it. Wishing we knew the truth will not do; we must do more than that. Nothing is accomplished without labor. Then how can young men flatter themselves with the thought of ever becoming strong in the faith and in present truth, without labor? Hear the wise man: “If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures,195then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.” Prov. 2:3-5. Here we are required to seek and search for knowledge as for silver. Now our zeal in seeking and searching will be in proportion to the value we set on that after which we are seeking; hence the importance of placing a high estimate on the truth. Look at that man who is seeking silver and gold. See him up in the morning before light, laboring hard through the day and late into the evening. Why does he do this? Simply because he places a high value on these earthly treasures. True wisdom and understanding is of more value than silver and gold. Hear the wise man again: “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.” Prov. 3:13, 14. Do you say, “How shall I go to work? See how much others know, then think how little I know. What shall I do?” Then I answer, You must “study hard and catch up.” Never was reading matter so abundant as now, never was it so cheap as now. There are works on almost any subject you wish to study. Do you ask which ones are best for you to study? That depends on the subjects upon which you wish to inform yourself. To this rule there is but one exception; it is this, in all cases the Bible should be our first study. Then if it is the Sabbath you wish to learn about, I know of no work so well calculated to instruct you as the “History of the Sabbath,” by J. N. Andrews. If you wish to know more about the prophecies, read “Thoughts on Daniel” and “Revelation,” by U. Smith. If you wish to learn of man’s nature and destiny, Eld. Smith has an able work upon this subject also. Young man, time is short; you have but a little time to search for wisdom. The means are placed within your reach, and how great will be the condemnation if you do not labor to gain a knowledge of these truths. Time is short; therefore “study hard, and catch up.” If you prefer to select your own books, look them over carefully before you read them. Do not judge a book by the title it bears. A good title is not always a guarantee of a good book, any more than a good name is a guarantee of a good man. Spiritualists give the devil many good titles, but that has never made a gentleman of him, and never will. Forget those things which are behind, and search for those things which are before. G. F. HAINES.