Our Basket | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 16, 1879

Our Basket.

“A little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts and almonds.” (Gen. 43:11.)

—God has promised forgiveness to your repentance; but he has not promised a tomorrow to your procrastination.

—THE great secret of avoiding disappointment is not to expect too much. Despair follows immoderate hope, as things fall hardest to the ground that have been nearest to the sky.

—I RENEW daily my covenant to become altogether Christ’s, and to watch every moment, that I may not lose one opportunity of doing good to the souls of men.—Mrs. Fletcher.

—IN the wilderness of sorrow, temptation, and care, Jesus often goes forth to meet and converse with his people; and when he meets with them, he speaks to their hearts.

—IF you like a man, he may jump into water all over and not be wet; but if you dislike him, the very way he carries his food to his mouth will look ugly to you.—Arthur Helps.

—TO comprehend the beginning and the ending of things is an infinite thought, and therefore it requires an infinite mind to grasp it. Why, then, should a finite being darken his soul by doubt because he cannot compass infinity?

—WE need to learn the lesson that this life is given us only that we may attain to eternal life. For lack of remembering this, we fix our affections on the things of this fleeting world, and when the time comes that we must quit it, we are all aghast and terrified.

We are but pilgrims—like the tribes who roam In every land, but call no land their home,— And what their ancient Canaan is to them, So is to us the New Jerusalem; Then while our hopes, our hearts, our homes are there, “Thy Kingdom come” must be our fervent prayer!

—A GREAT man of the last century said; “He who lives not by rule lives not at all,” Perhaps there is more truth in that assertion than some are at first disposed to admit. Confusion greatly hinders all good things. There is no example of success without a plan. Method is essential to a good habit, and imparts vigor to character.

—IS there anything better than the tongue? Is it not the bond of society, the organ of truth, the expression of reason, the instrument of kindness to man and of praise and adoration to God? Is there anything worse than the tongue? Is it not the instrument of strife, the means of contention, the source of divisions and wars, the organ of error, of lies, of calumny, of blasphemies?—Æsop.

—WISE and good men will avoid controversy and disputation, as far as they can; yet they must not determine against them, or condemn them indiscriminately; for when false teachers come in unawares to subvert men’s souls; when the fundamental truths of the gospel are opposed or perverted, and the principles of men are poisoned by pernicious tenets, we ought to “contend earnestly” (though in meekness) “for the faith once delivered to the saints;” and to decline controversy in such circumstances argues lukewarmness and cowardice, rather than meekness and wisdom.—Dr. T. Scott.