Almost Sundown | AdventAI

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 25, 1856

Almost Sundown.

WHEN in college, a professing Christian who subsequently became a missionary, deemed himself ill-treated by a fellow-student, and in consequence, got very angry. To the surprise and grief of his brethren, he gave somewhat free expression to his feelings. No one ventured to rebuke him, or to remonstrate with him, while he was uttering things very little adapted to promote the edification of the hearer.

Toward the close of the day, a judicious friend was passing his room. Pausing before the open door, he said in a significant tone, “It is almost sundown.” The reproof so kindly and delicately administered, was felt by his erring brother. The divine commandment, “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath,” was called to remembrance. The perturbation of passion was exchanged for that of conscious guilt. The latter was calmed by prayer, and was followed by confession before those who had been witnesses of his sin.

It is our duty to rebuke sin, to endeavor to arouse the conscience to a perception of wrong doings, and to a sense of guilt. To do this successfully, and so as to secure beneficial results, requires wisdom. Wisdom seldom prompts the direct and stern rebuke. It never assumes the attitude of a prosecuting attorney. It never allows the rebuker to assume an air of superiority.

In the example given above, the rebuke was indirect, and by means of an allusion to a passage of Scripture. There is nothing comparable to Scripture in power to convince of sin, and yet much depends on the skill with which it is applied. When bluntly or boisterously presented, it is more likely to repel and harden than to convince. When the conscience is thus directly addressed, it puts itself on its guard, and endeavors to steel itself against impressions. An indirect mode of address throws the conscience off its guard, and allows the light of truth to enter and reveal the sin.—Sel.