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BREVITIES

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Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 17, 1860

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 16, No. 9.

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BREVITIES.

By J. Clarke

SERVILITY.—I was early taught that it was an evidence of low breeding, and depraved mind, to pay great respect, and esteem, and attention, to the rich, and popular, and great, while at the same time you would despise the poor, and the dependent, and the lowly. It is better to make a sort of average, and bestow love where it is most needed.
A WARNING.—After giving a needed rebuke pretty plainly, it is natural to say something comforting, and the danger is of spoiling the whole. The best way is to let the thing work awhile, and bestow comfort when penitence calls for it. Do your work well, and do not overthrow it by mistaken kindness.
“IS HE RICH?—When I see an individual living highly and dressing richly upon credit, I ask, How much better is he than a thief? It may be a sort of comforting plaster to be thought rich by strangers: but this will hardly overbalance being looked upon as a sharper by my creditors, and a grief to angels, and a monster of pride and injustice to all the good and just. “Is he rich?” His coat indicates it, and his equipage asserts the same; but an enemy has the taunt ready, “Not if his debts were paid.”
POVERTY is no disgrace to the honest man, who has used his best endeavors to avert it. To the proud and unjust it has a thousand stings; but to the conscientious, good man it brings no sting of remorse, no reproach, but with the worthies of old, he counts the loss of all things but gain.
CONFESSION.—Much stress is laid upon confession in scripture, “confess and forsake,” this is the order of God’s word.
It may be more consonant with the feelings of some, to forsake without confession, but if I have wounded or injured my brother, confession is first necessary, in order to fulfill the demands of scripture.
It is dangerous, as all profane and sacred history shows, to reverse gospel order. The papal church is an example of the danger of trusting to other oracles than the word of God, and they plainly cite us to the law and the testimony, and anathematize those who reverse them.
I may be naturally averse to confession, and my heart may say, “Only do right, and this is the best confession;” but the scripture says, “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.” O how many a bleeding heart has been healed by contrition, finding vent in humble confession; and I think I may say, that heart is carnal which is constitutionally averse to confession.
No one will say that sin is not to be confessed to God. All allow this; but I allude to those who will not rectify an error, or heal a wound by confession. So well do I know the scripture demands on this point, that I tremble for the brother who will not confess when he has injured the feelings (unnecessarily) of a friend or an enemy.
J. CLARKE.