p. 78 | THE GREAT QUESTION

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 6, 1861

THE GREAT QUESTION.

For another illustration of this, let us pass to the world of Commerce. We see there a successful child of fortune. The winds of heaven have wafted his ships, richly laden, to the nearest and the most distant parts of the habitable earth. The waves and rocks of the ocean, as if in league with the winds, have reserved their desolating power for other barks, and his have passed speedily and safely on to their destined ports. Times, and seasons, and circumstances have combined with wind and sea to prosper every voyage, and send home his mariners rejoicing in the pride of his gains.

Yea, rather, "God hath given the man power to get wealth." He has gained his heart's desire. He has laid up "gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks." He is enriched in all manner of store. His name as proprietor is known on land and ocean, and in the costly dwellings of the goodly city. He has become as it were a nation's banker, and his name will go down to posterity as one of the rich men of the earth. But what shall these things profit him when he comes to die, if he be not also rich toward God?

We would derogate nothing from the benefits which these naturally confer. We press not now the divine declaration that a "man's life consisteth not in the abundance which he hath." Let us admit that the above condition gives to the man power, and respectibility, and influence over others—that it removes from him all the inconveniences attendant on restricted means, and supplies all his bodily wants. Yet how long is he to enjoy those blessings? Will not a few years bring them to an end? Will not the grave soon make him as lowly and as poor as any other man? Then what will his possessions avail to his soul, when it comes before the tribunal of a God requiring righteousness? To say that one word of pardon, one smile of acceptance from his Judge would then be worth more to him than his former gains, would be a sentiment too obvious to require utterance. And yet, for these same gains, the man has voluntarily forfeited every good, and every mercy, which this Almighty Judge has power to confer upon him.

If these things be so, does it not become men who are striving to lay up treasures here, but none in heaven, to look well to the final issue, before it is too late to consider it? Yes, in the midst of all their cares and labors they will, if wise, regard the ultimate result. They will often put to their judgment and conscience that great, that moving question, which lies at the foundation of all pecuniary enterprises—"What will it profit me?" and then, applying this question to that world which concerns them most, they will stop and inquire, What am I likely to gain by living on as I have lived? If I pursue my present course with that exclusive and absorbing interest as heretofore, shutting out Christ and his religion from all my time and thoughts, what is to be the end of it? As God's word is true my soul is lost.

Besides, do we not learn from the Scriptures that the time for repentance which is most pleasing unto God, and which he even calls his "accepted time," is not the future, but always the present? "Behold now [saith he] is the accepted time: behold now is the day of salvation." Why should we not be of the same mind with our Maker, and let his chosen time be ours? The moment we bring our wills to this point, there breaks upon us the dawn of a glorious destiny. We then have one thing which ought greatly to cheer and encourage us. We have the certain prospect of success, and final acceptance. If in answer to his own invitation we become co-workers with God, and thus link our own weakness to his strength, we cannot fail. We shall become accepted through Christ—accepted for his sake "who loved us, and gave himself for us." We shall no longer tread the journey of life with the loneliness of an alien's heart, feeling that we have no friend in heaven. We shall receive the spirit of adoption. We shall be made the sons of God, and heirs of that kingdom which he hath prepared for all who love him. This is the highest reward we can conceive of. More than this tho

heart of man cannot crave. What insane delusion then, must possess an otherwise rational man, to risk the loss of so great a blessing? "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"—Western Episcopalian.