BREVITIES by J. Clarke

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 11, 1860

BREVITIES.

By J. Clarke

God will reward us, not for what we designed to do, but for what we have done; not for what we were in feeling and personal devotedness, but for the practical proofs of such devotedness; not merely for theorizing correctly, but for carrying out these theories in practice. Resolutions, tears, prayers, good designs, unless sealed with a holy life, are but mockery.

Making a debt to pay a debt, generally doubles the debt; and plunging into new and untried schemes of business just now as we look for the advent of Christ, seems to me like presumption. Christians should be cautious about soliciting or receiving aid in their business from the wicked world; although it may not be presently dangerous, yet Satan hides his viperous brood

of evils deep beneath plausible plans, and often baits with golden dreams, and splendid prospects.

Inquire of the Lord before you launch into any new scheme. David was a successful general, and a wise king; and herein lay the secret of his success; and whenever he moved rashly, and forgot to inquire of the Lord, disasters followed. So with other kings of Israel. Almost invariably this rule obtained: that whenever God was inquired of, he gave success; in that theocratic government we see displayed the weakness and impotence of a nation, when moving in their own strength; and their might and power when moving in the order of God. Beware of hasty steps and unsanctified desires which breed unwise plans, and lead us in dangerous paths, where serpents hiss, and scorpions lie concealed.

I can't, says the weak brother, I can't pray in public, and in my family, and talk to my children. That is so, says Satan, you can't do it; and I wouldn't try. Your boys will laugh at you, and besides it is not your gift; let Bro. A. B. and C. do this, but you have no gift, and never had; what is the use of trying to do what nature never qualified you to do? Go on, and attend to your farm, only keep the Sabbath, and go to meeting, but as to trying to do what is contrary to your nature, do not do it. Pray in secret; that you can do, for there is no one to notice your awkwardness but God, and he don't care how awkward you are, if you are only sincere; but as to exposing yourself and your weakness before the brethren, do not do it. Another thing, I would not totally abstain from whiskey. An occasional dram when washing sheep, or when cold and wet, or sometimes when invited to give or take a treat, can certainly be of no harm to one so steady and correct as yourself; as to what these meddlesome brethren say to you, be sure you do not mind them, they are out of place. Why there is that pert brother, always into what does not concern him, let him know you can beat him, give him a rub next Sabbath in your exhortation. Oh, but you must take care not to speak too glib, or they will think you might overcome that bashfulness. Another thing, those long eloquent justifications of yours—why don't you see the brethren notice how gifted you are in this? Take care! or they will weigh you!

What is the use of all this ado about the Sabbath, says Satan to sister —. You cannot come up to this tyrannical standard; God does not require such ridiculous strictness. Get supper on sixth-day about as usual, perhaps a little earlier, but as to getting the cows so early, and getting the milking done long before sundown, and cooking up such a host of victuals, it's all of man. Study your Bible and get into the spirit of it, just as you always have done, and God will be just as good as he ever has been, without all this puritanical self-righteous strictness. Show your independence.

Some have an idea that religion is a gloomy thing, and having sincerely embraced it, they check all cheerful emotions, supposing that this is duty. Such should reverse the order, and check all gloomy, unhappy emotions, and nourish cheerfulness in thought and word. Cheerfulness is equally distant from fanatical gloom on the one hand, and from mirthful gayety on the other. He who expends his cheerful feelings in empty mirth, is like the engineer who lets his steam pass off in the escape-valve which is needed to propel the engine; while he who commands his cheerful emotions, and keeps them in strict obedience to law, always has a supply on hand, like the careful engineer who does not permit any loss of steam.

Teachers have observed that young children are frequently poor readers in consequence of mistaking b for d, or q for p, &c. So he who cannot command his passion, has not yet learned the alphabet of holiness; such are in the primary department, as yet; among the babes.

A man may outwardly keep the Sabbath, and do many good things, and may have a sort of love for good men, all resulting from a sort of refinement and correct taste, and have still a wicked unchanged heart, and Satan might give such a person brilliant experience in order to keep him from settling deeply into the truth.

I am doubtful of all experience of God's love which comes to the rebellious, the stubborn, the willful transgressor. I say to you, beware of propping yourself up in a wrong course of life, by means of inward light. Perhaps it may be the all-deceivableness of Satan, by which he would if possible deceive the very elect.

To rivet the chains of the deceived, Satan often grants false light: and to discourage the good he often infuses his own gloomy darkness.

A good man tests his experiences by the word, and often asks himself, Am I the better for these experiences? Do they have a purifying, sanctifying influence upon my life? Am I strengthened by them in resisting sin, and in pursuing holiness?

The wicked man is heedless in this respect, and quotes his experience to himself; when persecuted conscience painfully, partially waking from her stupor, with friendly admonitions, shows him the sand where rock should be, he turns (faint at the sight) to his experience, and leans upon the staff which one day will pierce his hand, and half comforts his soul, while poor conscience, insulted and abused, but helpless, sinks into the stupor of such a death, as the upas shades produce upon the unwary traveler.

The good man is not always free from deceitful experiences, but he guards himself against them, as the careful merchant guards himself against counterfeit money; and if he is as faithful to his trust, as the merchant is to his cash account, he will soon become as quick to discern, and as firm to decide, as prompt to condemn or approve. He will judge righteous judgment, having tried the spirits which offer themselves.

Bro. —, thinks there is a vacuum in the Review; that somehow or other it is not right; that Bro. —, is wrong in some things. Now we do not suppose that every position of every writer in the Review is infallibly correct, and in perfect accordance with scripture, but it is as nearly so as the united efforts of God's people can get to the standard, and we hope as an message rises, to get nearer to the standard, and we hope the brother will patiently wait until we arrive at the culminating point of the message, when we hope to attain to the perfect stature, and the watchmen see eye to eye. Meanwhile we would in a loving, friendly manner, ask the brother to wait patiently until we overtake him.

J. CLARKE.