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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 18, 1912

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 29.

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Editorial

By Editor

"If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God."
HE who desires to be led of God will be sure to find God ready to lead him. But he who would be led of God must be ready to go where and however God may direct. He must not choose his own way, and then expect God to adopt it as his own.
LET us never consider for a moment that we know all of God or his truth. The more we know, the larger will become our power to see what we do not know. This will make our ignorance appear so great in comparison with our knowledge that it will seem to us that we really know nothing, or but little at best. The true basis upon which to build is to realize that we of ourselves know nothing at all as we ought to know it. To such knowledge and humility God can add heavenly wisdom, and the praise and glory will be to God and not to man.
THE way man may regard a doctrine does not determine its standing in God's sight. Some of the greatest errors have been the most largely received by mankind; in fact, the majority have, as a rule, been on the wrong side of every question of moral reform. But the fact that the majority is opposed to the right releases no individual from doing the right. The admonition, "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil," is as timely in these days of spiritual declension as when first spoken to the children of Israel. The man of God is the man of principle,—of principle to do the right at whatever the cost, relying alone upon the God of right for sympathy and support. Such men were Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Paul, and Silas. By standing in God's strength for the truth and righteousness of Christ our Saviour, such may we be to-day.

Two Kinds of Sorrow

THERE are two kinds of sorrow in this world. There is the sorrow that bears in its arms nothing but bundles of tares to be burned, and there is the sorrow that comes laden with the precious fruits of a better life. Many go on for years in a life of sin, and when their record is made known to the world around them, they are exceedingly sorry, sorry that they have been found out. They were not ashamed when they were making the record and reaping its illegitimate fruit. It is only the publication that causes shame. That kind of sorrow brings no good results. That kind of sorrow would lead a man to commit other wrongs to keep some one from making his evil course known. That kind of sorrow would lead him to minimize every published wrong, and seek to convince the world that he meant no wrong in what he did. That puts an insurmountable barrier in the way of true repentance, and sears and glazes over every tender spot in the conscience.
But there is a sorrow that builds character, stone upon stone, a structure that can not be swept away. The sorrow of the world may and does work death; but "godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret." That kind of sorrow has the fruits of righteousness in it; for it is a sorrow against sin. It partakes of the nature of God's sorrow when sin entered the world. Because it does, it must be in harmony with God. It is a healing sorrow. The godly sorrow heals every wound with better material than was there before. Have we lost a cherished friend? That sorrow builds a bridge from our heart to the heart of Him who is the friend of every man. Have we lost a love we cherished above everything else on earth? We may be sad over the loss; but we know where to go for a love that passes the power of human tongue to express; and, accepting that, we gain an experience that makes us better men and women, gives us stronger courage and more power to do. Is it sorrow over actual wrong? Then comes in the knowledge of God's forgiveness of the wrong repented of and his acceptance of us, and we are helmeted and shod and corseleted and armed for stronger battle against wrong than before. But once let us excuse the wrong, and seek to palliate it, and we are weaker than we were, and the temptations that will come to us will be sharper pointed, and their barbs will fasten themselves into our very flesh.
When we have failed and acknowledged our failure, then is when God can make victors of us. It is only when we have reached the point where we can make such acknowledgment that God can entrust us with victory. He dared not give victory to Gideon's host until it was thinned down beyond the possibility of its gaining a victory in its own strength; but then he crowned that loyal band with a victory that will always live.
The sorrow at having our sins found out, and the desire to cover up our shortcomings, are indications that we are anxious to appear better than we are and stronger than we are. But when all that is put away, then it is that God can use us, and make us powers for good in his service. Let us put away the false-faced sorrow of the world; for that works only death, and its fruits can be only the fruits of selfishness and sin. Let our sorrow be sorrow for sin. In that is hope, good fruits, and the prospect of life everlasting. C. M. S.