p. 14 | Untitled article by Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Pacific Press Publishing Company · MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA · Sep 27, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 39.

EDUCATION IN THE HOME. NO. 20.

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

BY MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE.

The night which followed this Bible-reading—which concluded the studies concerning the Sabbath—was one long to be remembered by Mrs. Wilbur. Every one of her objections had been answered candidly and Scripturally, and long before the conclusion of grandma's story, Mrs. Wilbur saw the Sabbath of Jehovah as never before, occupying its rightful place in the heart of God's great moral code—the "law" by which we are to be judged. Will she have the courage to obey? Over and over again she asks herself: "How can I give up my own will? How can I sunder the ties which bind me to my church,—the church to which I have belonged ever since my girlhood, and whose teachings were as sacred to my mother as the very Word of God, and in the firm belief of which she died? How can I unite with a few humble men and women whom the world ridicules, and upon whom I have been accustomed to look with pity, if not with scorn? And then, there is our daughter; I have great hopes for Josie. She must make her mark in the world. How can I, for her sake?"

Mr. Wilbur is silent and thoughtful; and for some reason, they, like Grandpa and Grandma Hartman, did not speak to each other of the subject which on this night was being driven home to the heart of each by the convincing Spirit of God. Before Mrs. Wilbur slept, she had almost decided to obey,—almost. But alas! that little word, "almost," has been the ruin of many a soul since the days of the proud Festus, who tremblingly declared while the wonderful pleading of the great apostle to the Gentiles rung in his ears, "Almost thou persuadest me." Almost; but pride is not yet conquered. The enemy never lets go his hold upon a human soul without a mighty struggle. And while we leave Mrs. Wilbur and her husband to visit the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jones, we can only pray that the pitying Christ may not take away from them His Spirit.

Unlike Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur, Mr. and Mrs. Jones talk the matter over freely, together.

"Really, I am surprised," said Mrs. Jones, "at the amount of plain Scripture which has been read in favor of the seventh-day Sabbath. Aren't you, my dear?"

"Well, yes; I'm quite willing to acknowledge that it's plain enough. But you see, it's impossible, absolutely impossible, for us to keep it. I would lose my position at the mills the first thing, and then what would become of us? We have no children to whom we can turn like most people, and you know what the Bible says about providing for your own.—"

"Yes, I know," replied Mrs. Jones quietly. "But there is another passage that reads: 'He that saith I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.'"

"O well, of course I don't say I shall never obey; and I hope I am candid enough to admit that I see the point. If you care to attend these readings hereafter, I shall certainly go with you, and we will learn all we can."

"I am so glad," replied Mrs. Jones. "I feared you would decide that we must give them up. I wonder if the Wilburs will be there next reading, which is to be the nature of the soul, I believe, isn't it? I think Mrs. Wilbur, at least, is deeply impressed."

"She certainly is; but not more so than her husband. Mr. Wilbur is more quiet, perhaps, but I think he is deeply interested for all that. But as for me, I don't think it's best to run the risk of losing my position."

Mrs. Jones only sighed as she answered, "I am sure it must take a deal of moral courage and much of God's good grace to unite with a company whose views are so different from other people—so unpopular."

But as Mrs. Jones sought her pillow and tried to sleep that night, certain words from the good Book kept repeating themselves over and over in her dreams:

"Come out from among them, and be ye separate."

Nor were the older members of Brother and Sister Hartman's reading circle the only ones who were deeply impressed with the beautiful and harmonious truths to which they had listened.

Walter Gray had decided more fully than ever that he would study the Word more earnestly, so that some day he might be able to explain it to others. The next morning, at the breakfast table, he repeated Grandma Hartman's story to a group of interested listeners, and closed by saying:

"I hope, father, you will not object to my attending these readings, I am learning so much, and really, father, I wish you and mother would go. The next reading we are going to settle the question by the Bible, 'What is the condition of man in death; and is the soul immortal?' and we are going, each, to tell a Bible story about some one whom Christ or His apostles or some holy prophet raised to life from the dead. I'm thinking it will be very interesting."

"Well, my son," replied Mr. Gray, a kindly, intellectual-looking man, "if that is to be your study, I think we will try to attend, will we not, mother?"

And so, much to Walter's delight, it was settled that his parents would accompany him to Brother Hartman's on the occasion of the next reading.

Nor must we forget a word about Billy Black. Over in the humble cottage where lived the blind old woman and her grandson, and which sheltered the poor, drunken father when he was not at the saloon, a young lad with a very serious face sought his bed that night. He had heard strange things at Brother Hartman's,—things of which he had never thought before. He had learned that the great God in heaven loves and cares for the humblest of His children; and ever since the recitation of that beautiful psalm of David, by the sweet-faced, innocent child, little Beth Hartman, the lad could not forget the first verse, which had so impressed him, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." And all unconscious to himself his heart was growing purer and tenderer, and more susceptible to the influences of the purifying Spirit of Christ.