SUGGESTIONS AND ADMONITIONS.
By J. Clarke
To conquer Satan, use much of scripture in your supplications, use such as will apply to your wants, and for this you must become familiar with it all, especially the Psalms of David. He who must have his own will, is sure to oppose the will of God. Too Busy.—Too busy to attend to the affairs of the soul! Too busy to stop to warn sinners! Too busy to comfort the saints! Too busy to visit each other! Brethren, who ever saw such a busy time as it is just now! just as the sun of time is declining, to leave the world in gloomy desolation! When had the world more attractions than just now, to distract the attention of the saint! Who will sever these cords? Relatives.—Ought we to visit our relatives? Yes, visit them now oftener than ever, with this motive in view: to win them to the truth; and visit the brethren to comfort and encourage them; and let present truth animate the social circle, and love to God and man rule the heart. The Sinking Ship.—A company on board a ship would ordinarily be occupied with many considerations. If the ship were sinking as they plied at the pumps as for life, there would be but one engrossing thought—how to escape shipwreck. So with us (if we are not lukewarm), as we see the world sinking, its fate proclaimed aloud by good and bad men, as we see its attractions fade, and realize that it must soon go down, with its demented freight, we look anxiously at the life-boat, and hold ourselves in readiness for its launch; and subjects of thought and conversation which might be important and profitable under other circumstances, are insipid, and to us now unworthy of notice. Activity.—See that politician, how active he is; every stone is turned to elect his man; his favorite idea is never forgotten. How ingeniously he weaves some electioneering argument into every conversation, how he plies his customers, his associates, using argument, influence and address for this one idea: his candidate must be elected. Suppose that all at once his interest slackens, he ceases to agitate the subject, he seldom alludes to it, and if he does, it is evidently forced work. It is noticed. What has happened? say they. Has our friend lost confidence in his candidate? Why is he lukewarm? Let this apply where it is fitting. Deliberation.—Some deliberate so long that God is wearied with their hesitation, which hesitation and careful deliberation is but another shift and pretence to gain time, amounting to procrastination; and while they thus wait, Satan sows tares, or catches up the good seed. The good Spirit is grieved and perhaps departs. Deliberation is good, but it is perfectly consistent with promptness, decision and energy, and should not be confounded with snail-like caution, and caviling, and quibbling, against self-evident truths. O the duplicity, and stubbornness, and deep-seated self-deception of the human heart! A Retreat.—No officer would hesitate to retreat from a dangerous position, if destruction impended. Washington often saved his army and cause by skillful retreats; yet in morals men often blindly persist in dangerous error, to maintain their credit for firmness. Prayer.—Christians often when in prayer so scatter their petitions, that not one is granted. In war, the soldier that fires slowly and deliberately, with good aim, and brings down one or more at each discharge of his rifle, does far more than he who scatters his shot indiscriminately. So in prayer let us have an aim. Prayer should be concentrated, the most appropriate and timely objects, the present occasion, whatever it be, the present company, whoever it be, the present wants, whatever they may be, should claim the attention. But to ramble over the wide creation, and pray for all needy objects, in every prayer, makes one's prayer more like an encyclopædia than anything else. All these objects should be remembered, but not in the same prayer, and the Spirit of God sanctifying the judgment, will guide us. Those of little experience are liable to suppose that slight skirmishes are great battles, and that temporary advantages are signal if not final victories. Beware of flattering experiences. In time of war various arts are used; sometimes the enemy suddenly withdraws, to produce a lull of security, then as suddenly springs from some ambush, as a lion upon his prey. So does Satan, if he can flatter the saint that there is not as much danger as formerly; then with fearful power he pursues his victim. Let us note his devices, and be on our guard always; not slack in our watchfulness because we are much blessed with light and peace. It is a greater thing than most imagine to get a complete victory. We have formed our opinions of godliness too much from the dwarfed specimens which we have seen in our apostate age. Let us prepare our minds for a thorough work, and go to work in earnest. Sometimes our views of duty are overwrought. A child has not the charge of parents, neither has a wife the charge of her husband. Godliness does not reverse the relations of life. We cannot change the hearts of our relatives, and we should no more interfere with their voluntary choice of good or evil, than we would with utter strangers. Give them their choice. We often disfigure the face when singing. A pleasant cast of countenance is appropriate when we sing the praises of God; even a smile of peace if it exists within. If it does not we are not in a fit state to sing. I have known a good judgment ruined by willfulness and conceit, and a weak judgment greatly strengthened by meekness and teachableness. Fence yourself in with good principles and good associates and wise counselors. A rough address does not betoken firmness. Washington was mild in his manners, but firm in his decisions. Without this he would not have united the hearts and hands of a nation composed of men of all religious, beliefs and rival interests.