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On Stealing

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Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 20, 1859

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 13, No. 9.

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On Stealing.

A. I will take the liberty to ask you, brother, if you would take without liberty?
B. Indeed, you cannot be serious in asking such a question; you know I would die rather than steal.
A. Would you not take a very small amount if you were in want?
B. There is no difference. A petty theft is sin; so is grand larceny. Sin, is sin; there are no small sins.
A. Does not he who disregards the Sabbath, break the eighth commandment?
B. Certainly he does, but you cannot apply that to me, when I keep the Sabbath.
A. Are you sure?
B. It is painful to answer such questions, you need not ask, you know I am a Sabbath keeper.
A. But do you keep the whole Sabbath?
B. Why do you ask?
A. Because I notice that you are busy doing your work till nearly dark on Sabbath evening, thus you clip an hour or two from the twenty-four hours which God has claimed as his. Jehovah sanctified a whole day, not a part, and by your own admission, to steal a small amount, develops the same character as a like offense on a grander scale. So here, if you rob God of a small part, by cutting off a moment or more from the beginning or ending of his holy day, you are guilty of petty larceny, at least.
B. Well, indeed, brother, I had not thought of it in such a light. I thank you for your plain rebuke, and will try to keep clear of theft in future. J. Clarke.