Obedience by J. CLARKE.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 25, 1862

Obedience.

By J. CLARKE.

THE ruling passion of our nation is to be great. Greatness! this is the theme, from the early lessons of the infant class in the primary department, all the way along through academies, colleges, &c., &c., up to the Senate house at Washington.

Greatness! no matter how attained, how held, whether by dint of mental toil, or native talent, or by purchase with gold, it must somehow be attained by the ambitious youth.

Greatness! How can I manage to become great? I must be chief, second to none. Shall I take Cæsar, or Napoleon, or Washington, as my model?

Consequently there are as many aspirants for office, almost, as there are men. Indeed, it is probable that most of our soldiers aspire to some office, and most of our officers aspire to be generals, most of our generals aspire to be presidents.

This spirit manifests itself in the church; and many a good lay member looks forward to the time when he shall be a messenger, and not a second-rate one, either! How different the teachings of the Bible. Here, instead of greatness being inculcated, humility is taught.

The church at Jerusalem was the greatest and most noted of the churches, yet notice the epistle of Paul to the Hebrews. How it teaches obedience and humility, and lowliness of mind!

This desire for greatness prompts to acts of pride instead of humility, while the person thus agitated by ambition is wholly insensible of the motive at the root.

Moses, the man of God, had wholly overcome this kind of ambition (if he ever had it) before God would entrust him with the important work allotted to him.

Daniel had every earthly hope and joy crushed out of his heart before he entered upon the exalted sphere God intended for him, and his master was Melzar, a deputy of Ashpenax, prince of the eunuchs, in the court of haughty Nebuchadnezzar, until God exalted him.

It is this rebellious kind of pride which has been nourished in the schools, a kind of liberty and independence run mad, which has sowed the seed of rebellion in our country, and it finds its counterpart in the church, in the mad opposition to organization, which has done such damage to the cause.

O that all would heed the injunctions of Paul. Heb. xiii, 7, 17, 24. Please turn to these passages and read them. If there were those who had the rule over that church, how had they this rule. Was it not an organized church?

But there are many who assent to all the testimonies. O yes, we believe in organization, systematic benevolence, &c., who are holding back on all these points.

Either they believe and do not, or they are ignorant of what these testimonies inculcate.

We will have our own way, is the language of the carnal heart. What does God require of me? is the language of the good man. And he will seek to find out his duty. Thus by humility and obedience Moses and Daniel find their spheres, while pride and self-will shipwrecked Dathan and Abiram. J. CLARKE.