FEELING NOT FAITH by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Jul 28, 1881

FEELING NOT FAITH.

By Editor

A GREAT deal of that which is called faith among religious people is only feeling, without a single characteristic of true, genuine faith. We were strongly impressed with this fact while reading the report of the labors of a minister in a certain denomination, who was called to a certain place. Speaking of his journey he wrote:—

“It proved to be a bitter cold day, and being exposed to the rain, my faith was tried; but we pressed on.”

Years ago “our faith was tried,” not in God nor in his truth, but in ministers who thus professed strong faith but manifested only the weakness of human feelings. We do not believe that person has real faith who is tried and tempted because of the rain falling from the heavens, or the inclemency of the weather. Faith tried with the beneficent providence of God! No; it is feeling, strongly tinctured with fanaticism. Let every servant of God keep himself from its bewildering control. True faith is thus described by the poet:—

“A faith that shines more bright and clear When tempests rage without; That, when in danger knows no fear, In darkness feels no doubt.”

That which is confident in the sunshine and distrustful and tried when clouds arise and rain falls, should never be honored with the name of faith.