Untitled article by M. E. S.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 11, 1859

CONSECRATION. No. 2.—TALENT.

By M. E. S.

Perhaps your mind has been so highly endowed that you are prepared to attract admiration from the world. Are you willing to devote that cultivated mind to God? I do not mean a sacrifice that bears no cross, by the term willing, but will you do it, will you decide to sacrifice, cross or no cross ? Have you sung to please a carnal motive ? Remember Paul says such a motive is at enmity with God. The songs of Zion, flowing from a heart of love, are sweeter and far more elevating. Have you a pen that can trace "thoughts that breathe and words that burn?" Oh yield it up to him who is able to guide it in instructing and comforting poor human hearts, and pointing them the way to heaven. Have you powers of conversation that can please and convince? Give your all to the Lord and he will use them in leading precious souls to glory and immortality. It may be your words hitherto have not been holy. Hear Peter: "As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." It may have been your delight to make expressions that call forth mirth. Listen to Jesus: "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Will you give up your wit, your, "foolish talking and jesting, which are not convenient?" Give the propensity to God, he will take care of it.

Perhaps some dear saint has been in the habit of using bywords. Did you ever think that such expressions are useless and idle words. God help you that "no corrupt communications proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

There is another way in which we may have offended in word, i. e. in breaking the ninth commandment. It is not necessary that we be brought into a court room before we can break this commandment; there are many ways in which we can "bear false witness against our neighbor." The psalmist asks, Ps. xv, "Lord who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor." The converse would be, those that do backbite, &c., shall not dwell in God's tabernacle. Let us then be careful how we spread, much less originate, an evil report of our neighbor, and thus take up a reproach against him. Let us make it an established rule to never speak even of the known faults of another, unless it be to effect some good thereby. People are apt to think it no harm to discuss the failings of another, provided they speak within the limits of his friends, or the church of which he is a member; but dear brethren and sisters let us leave such discussions entirely, and never trouble ourselves about a brother's or sister's or any other person's faults except as duty calls us to go to them in the spirit of love and weakness and endeavor to reclaim them. Wherever we are, do let us try to be peace-makers. I assure you a fault-finding spirit will produce discord, dissension and hardness wherever it operates. "One sinner destroyeth much good," and one such soul in a church acts, I do not say always, like a wolf in sheep's clothing, dividing the flock. Then let us beware of cherishing a thing so foul in our own hearts.

Some have a peculiar way of silencing conscience. After having canvassed the faults of an individual, they begin to repeat some of his good qualities, as though to offset what they have said of his evil ones. A far better way would be to make such an atonement uncalled for, by remembering, when tempted, the words of Paul, "Who art thou that judgest another man's (not thy) servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth." Be careful in no way to take up a reproach against thy neighbor by word, or frown, or jeer, or careless turning away at the mention of his name, or in any other way. Shall we who profess to be doing so great a work in repairing the breach in God's holy law, come down to take part in picking to pieces the character of a fellow creature? Oh shame! "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body."

But to return more directly to our subject. We hear some speaking of their small talent. The Bible does not mention a small talent. Every accountable being is represented as having at least one. Are you inclined to think it too little a sacrifice for God to receive? Oh beware lest you bury it, and when he comes to require it with usury, he find it not only buried from his service, but corrupted, and so take it from you, and leave you with those who lose all in the second death.

Dear friend, remember that it is not for our merit that God accepts us, but because Jesus imputes his own righteousness to us, and takes upon himself our iniquities. And again there can be but little difference in all our talents, to the eye of him who created and sustains the universe. We need not have a thought of our unworthiness; Jesus will take care of that. God only requires us to sacrifice all we have, and he knows perfectly what it is; and if we give him all, it is just as acceptable to him as it would be were it ten thousand times more. Will you then dedicate your mind to him?