I CAN DO MORE GOOD by R. F. C.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 29, 1856

"I CAN DO MORE GOOD."

By R. F. C.

SOME time since, the question, "What hinders?" was asked in the REVIEW. What hinders those who have the light, from obeying the truth and keeping the Sabbath of the Lord? The question might be answered in one word, and that word is, Satan. But to enumerate all the devices by which he hinders, and all the excuses which he has invented, is a task which I am not disposed to undertake; for, had I the aid of inspiration to call them to mind, time and space would fail me to tell them.

It is safe, however, to say, that the chief instrumentality by which he hinders, is unbelief. If men, even those who call themselves Christians, had a living faith—a firm and lively sense of the truth of the Bible, their motives to obedience would be so strong that the certain prospect of martyrdom could not prevail against them. But "dead works" have killed their faith. Sin hardens the heart; and the judgment of him that is accustomed to do evil becomes so perverted, that he can persuade himself that God will not condemn him, though he continue in his course of disobedience. Thus his faith in that Book that expressly declares that God will by no means clear the guilty, is gone, and he is—an infidel. Brother, Sister, beware of infidelity. And if you would avoid it, keep the commandments of God.

But there is one among the thousand excuses which have been invented for the continued violation of the fourth commandment, which I took up the pen to notice. And I was thinking, it was the strangest one which a person ever palmed off upon his own conscience, but that may not be so; for they are all strange. It is expressed something like this: "I can have a greater influence over my friends, neighbors and relatives, and consequently can do more good by keeping Sunday, than I, possibly could by following so singular a course as keeping the Sabbath." Now what a pious excuse this is. Who would not obey the commandment of the Man of Sin, in preference to that of Jehovah, the maker of heaven and earth, if they were sure they could do more good in that way? They may have kindred, perhaps their own children, who might be induced to make a profession of religion, and join some popular church, but never could be persuaded to keep so unpopular an institution as the Sabbath, and be so odd from the rest of the world. Now what could be a more laudable undertaking than that of removing the cross from religion, and thus saving those who would sooner go down to perdition than bear it?!

Since the change of the Sabbath was effected by the great apostasy, the Papal, and since the Son of God has called the Papal church "that woman Jezebel," [Rev. ii, 20,] it is natural for our minds to be carried back to the time of the great apostasy in Israel, when through the influence of Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, the popular religion became that of the worship of Baal, whose prophets numbered four hundred and fifty, while Elijah, the prophet of the true God, stood alone, though there were, unknown to him, a remnant of seven thousand in Israel that had not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

Under such discouraging circumstances, was not Elijah very unwise in being so stubborn as to contend with the prophets of Baal at the risk of his life? Could he not have done more good by falling in with the popular religion? He might have reasoned thus: Religion is religion; and if men have heart religion, what difference is made by the name to which they pay homage? A name is but a name, merely a sound; and if I fall in with the prevailing religion, I can persuade many to embrace religion who never could be induced to single themselves out from society by openly worshiping the God of heaven.

But Elijah, true to the God that made heaven and earth, braved the wrath of Baal's church-state government. And when Ahab, the king, asked him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? he answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but thou and thy father's house, (they were following the traditions of their fathers, as people now are,) in that ye have forsaken THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim." As the reward of his zeal for God's commandments he was taken up to heaven without seeing death.

As John the Baptist was sent "in the spirit and power of Elijah," "to make ready a people prepared for the Lord," at his first advent, so the spirit of Elijah is now in the world, in fulfillment of the promise of God by the prophet Malachi. "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." The office of Elijah is to counteract the effects of apostasy, and restore the commandments of God. The antitypical Baal is the beast of Revelation, Paul's man of sin, and Daniel's little horn; all of which have had their fulfillment in a church-state government which has spoken great words against the Most High, worn out the saints of the Most High for 1260 years, and thought to change the times and laws of God. And, strange as it may appear, the great mass of Christendom are keeping his commandments, instead of those of the Most High.

But there are some that are halting between two opinions. And as Elijah demanded of the people: "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him;" so the voice of Elijah, now being heard in the Third Angel's Message is proclaiming, "If any man worship the beast and his image, or receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation. . . . Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, and the Faith of Jesus." Thus the halting are called upon to decide whether they will keep the Commandments of God, or those of the beast.

Let us follow the example of Elijah, who was "very jealous for the Lord God of hosts," because the children of Israel had forsaken his covenant. Let us not for a moment imagine that we can do more good by keeping the covenant of Baal. But let us be fully

decided, come life or come death, we will keep the Commandments of God. And soon "the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof" will appear, and we, like Elijah, shall be borne away from earth, "redeemed from among men;" and, having the mark of the Father's name, instead of that of the beast, in our foreheads, we shall receive the harps of God, and bear a share in the new song—the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.