TRIALS by Jos. Clarke

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 15, 1860

TRIALS.

By Jos. Clarke

SOME very dear brethren and sisters, seem to have many trials. You can hardly tell what their trials are. Go to their houses, they have food and clothing, fuel, books, they have the Review and Instructor, and best of all, the Bible, and a multitude of blessings; they can pray, and Jesus answers their prayers, and often sends them his Spirit; yet after all, they are always whining about their trials; if they exhort they always refer to their trials, and they weep freely when they speak of them; and they wind up with a rhetorical flourish, something like a complaint.

Now I like to sympathize with brethren and sisters in their trials, but this blind way of speaking of them does not seem quite pleasant.

If we ask for sympathy, we should state plainly the trial so that relief may be given if possible; and if the trial is a mere bugbear, as many trials are, we might dissipate the cloud by the use of a few grains of common sense mixed in a solution of courage.

Trials! Look at what warriors have endured in order to win a name; see what Regulus endured for love of his country; and shall the Christian complain when he is in view, as it were, of the celestial city? Shame on such childish Christians who faint at the rustling of a leaf. Trials! Indeed! What? have you yet been laid upon the rack until every joint has been excruciatingly agonized? Have you been yet with Jeremiah in the low dungeon, in the deep mire? But what! Oh, some one has spoken ill of you, has basely slandered you, or you have been in some way led into temptation, and

baffled yourself until the hot blood rose to your temples and the mortification was severe, surely. Now dear brother test yourself. Did you ever when thinking of Jesus' sufferings while he was here on the earth, feel as deeply moved as when suffering yourself from these little trials?

Oh what selfishness! What pity for poor self! I, O I have such trials! Now just try an experiment, O tried one; just say nothing about your trials, think no more of them, think, speak and pray as though your trials were nothing in the world; praise the goodness of God, and when trials come, compare them with the wounds Jesus received when the nails were driven through his blessed hands and feet; compare the vile slander of the enemy with the contempt he endured in Herod's judgment hall; or compare your little trials with that of Stephen, who was stoned to death for his faithfulness; or with those martyrs who were sawn asunder, and in every way malice could invent, tormented and slain.

If we are going to talk about trials, let us wait until trials come, and ever hold our hearts out for the clear sunshine of peace and love. Count afflictions light, not to be spoken of, compared with that eternal weight of glory in store for the righteous.

JOS. CLARKE.