IS GAIN GODLINESS? by Jesse Dorcas

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 22, 1860

IS GAIN GODLINESS?

By Jesse Dorcas

THERE is a vast difference between a Christian and a religious man. For example: Paul was a religious man before his conversion, but a Christian afterwards. All truly enlightened Christians are one; whereas the contrast between them and religious men, is as one to 666.

Among the former class we find the laborers few, but generally, men of soft words and hard arguments; while on the other hand, the other class have ‐heaped to themselves teachers,‐ who use hard words and soft arguments; and in nothing is this more notorious than in regard to the Sabbath.

Paul was unfortunate enough to meet with, and know something about this class of opposers in his day. He calls them perverse disputers, men of corrupt minds and destitute of truth, supposing that gain is godliness.

Without conversion, religion is generally made a selfish thing, as well as the other faculties of the mind. And it is a lamentable thing to see a person of an ardent temperament, and strong religious bias; undertake to be a Christian without conversion—true evangelical conversion. The Christian is willing to count those things that were gain to him, loss for Christ's sake; but the opposite class, from the least of them unto the greatest of them are given to covetousness.

No! gain is not godliness; ‐but godliness with contentment is great gain.‐

Jesse Dorcas.

Tipton, Iowa.