Holiness, Humility, and Christian Conduct
By John Byington
TO THE SAINTS SCATTERED ABROAD:—Our heavenly Father says to us, "Be ye holy; for I am holy." We have no confidence that the traditions of our fathers, or creeds of men, will ever accomplish this work. It must be done through the agency of the Holy Spirit applying the sanctifying power of truth to our hearts, and to all our lives. We profess faith in the Son of God, and also to walk as he walked. But are we careful to know that God means all he says in his Holy Word? Without me, says Jesus, ye can do nothing. If so, we should always be looking unto him by earnest prayer, till our hearts melt and humbly bow before the Lord. Does the rule our Saviour has given us, [Matt. xii, 36,] govern us in all our conversation? Please turn to it and read it. Add to this our Saviour's words, "Let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil." Oh how much evil is done by jesting, foolish-talking, and evil-speaking, and the pride of life! Dear brethren, do we escape this snare of the Devil? Milo Stowe, of Weybridge, in writing to a brother here, (who is somewhat convicted by the present truth,) says: "The seventh-day people are as proud as members of other churches." Will Bro. Everts, or some other brother ask Mr. Stowe where he discovers pride among us. By so doing we may convince him of his wrong, or be led to see our own; and if so, confess our faults by forsaking them. We must walk humbly before God and exemplary before the world. Have any of us thought it is very convenient to have our paper sent to us free, without considering the burden those have had to bear who send it? There are the worthy poor, and I am glad they can have the paper free; but let us remember there is an honest claim on us here if we can consistently meet it. Every half-dollar spent for needless articles of dress, tea, tobacco, &c., could be put to a better use. Dear brethren, let us think of these things; and then let these words be written on our hearts: "Be ye holy; for I am holy."
JOHN BYINGTON.
Buck's Bridge, N. Y., Jan. 4th, 1854.