BE RESOLUTE | AdventAI

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 20, 1856

BE RESOLUTE.

“Sometimes,” says an eminent saint, “I have intermitted, or deferred, the performance of duty, upon apprehension of some present indisposition and unaptness. I have thought, ‘It is better not to set my hand to God’s work, than, to spoil it; better to omit my offering, than to give the lame and blind in sacrifice; the next time I will make amends, when I am fitter to do it,’ and the next time, perhaps, the task has been more irksome to me, and my plea of unfitness has seemingly had more strength than before; so that what before I did only defer, now I could be content wholly to neglect. Have I found thee, O mine enemy?” Here the serpent’s head discovers itself. Hereafter, when this plea is put in, it shall be rejected without hearing. I will check the least thought of reluctance towards the performance of the work I have assigned to myself. A lame prayer may get to heaven: I may, by rubbing and chafing my heart, get warmth into it. If I put forth my strength, I may break asunder the cords with which I am bound. The Spirit may come, and fill my sails; and I may have the wind with me, though the tide be against me. That rule of physicians is well applied to practice, in such cases, which advises persons of weak stomachs to eat, though they have no present appetite, because they shall feel the effects thereof in their future increase of strength.”