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WISDOM

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Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 26, 1879

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 5, No. 25.

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WISDOM.

Wisdom is humble, said the voice of God. 'Tis proud, the world replied. Wisdom, said God, Forgives, forbears, and suffers, not for fear Of man, but God. Wisdom revenges, said The world, is quick and deadly of resentment, Thrusts at the very shadow of affront, And hastes, by death, to wipe its honor clean.
Wisdom, said God, loves enemies, entreats, Solicits, begs for peace. Wisdom, replied The world, hates enemies, will not ask peace, Conditions spurns, and triumphs in their fall. Wisdom mistrusts itself, and leans on Heaven. Said God. It trusts and leans upon itself, The world replied. Wisdom retires, said God, And counts it bravery to bear reproach, And shame, and lowly poverty, upright; And weeps with all who have just cause to weep.
Wisdom, replied the world, struts forth to gaze, Treads the broad stage of life with clamorous foot, Attracts all praises, counts it bravery Alone to wield the sword, and rush on death; And never weeps, but for its own disgrace.
Wisdom, said God, is highest, when it stoops Lowest before the Holy Throne; throws down Its crown, abased; forgets itself, admires, And breathes adoring praise. There Wisdom stoops, Indeed, the world replied, there stoops, because It must, but stoops with dignity; and thinks And meditates the while of inward worth.
Thus did Almighty God, and thus the world, Wisdom define: and most the world believed, And boldly called the truth of God a lie. Hence, he that to the worldly wisdom shaped His character, became the favorite Of men, was honorable termed, a man Of spirit, noble, glorious, lofty soul! And as he crossed the earth in chase of dreams, Received prodigious shouts of warm applause. Hence, who to godly wisdom framed his life, Was counted mean, and spiritless, and vile; And as he walked obscurely in the path Which led to Heaven, fools hissed with serpent tongue, And poured contempt upon his holy head, And poured contempt on all who praised his name.
But false as this account of wisdom was, The world's I mean, it was its best, the creed Of sober, grave and philosophic men, With much research and cogitation framed, Of men, who with the vulgar scorned to sit. —Pollok's Course of Time.