OUR CHART AND COMPASS by J. W. Wright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 15, 1862

OUR CHART AND COMPASS.

By J. W. Wright

We often hear our life compared to a voyage, and there is a striking analogy in this comparison. While there are many thoughts suggested to my mind by it, perhaps a few may be interesting to the readers of the Review.

It is very necessary that a seaman have a good chart, for surely no person would think of navigating a strange and dangerous coast, without a chart with every light, landmark, rock and shoal, accurately laid down, for we know that it is the most dangerous part of the voyage when we near the coast, surrounded as we are by fogs, rocks, quicksands, and dangers of every description, to which we are not exposed when out in the open sea with plenty of sea room.

Now we are provided with just such a chart. It is the Bible. Without this we should be exposed to dangers on every hand, while out upon the broad ocean of time; but if we study it prayerfully, and follow the directions it contains, we shall at last anchor safely in the haven of eternal rest.

It is not only necessary that the seaman have a good chart, he must have a good compass also; for without this his chart will avail him nothing. He may, to be sure, think he is sailing according to the directions given on the chart, but still be very widely off the mark. Therefore, I say a good compass is indispensably necessary, in order to follow the course laid down on the chart. Let us see if the great Captain of our salvation has not left with us so valuable an article. Among the many promises written for our comfort, read the following: "Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth is come, he shall lead you into all truth." John xvi, 13. The spirit of God is to the Christian what the compass is to the mariner. The good compass points to the pole; and when free from other influences, may be depended upon. To illustrate, let us suppose an inexperienced navigator should commence his voyage with the sea calm and smooth, and his compass pointing steadily to the pole. He will at once set it down as a first rate compass. Well thus far his judgment is good, but presently the winds begin to blow, the once smooth sea is all in commotion, he looks at his compass, which he sees is very unsteady and fluctuating, he says his compass is worthless, and is about to abandon it, when he is prevailed upon by some of the crew to wait until the storm is over, when to his joy he finds his compass still true.

And even so it is with the Christian, when he is converted and filled with the Spirit of God, he feels that he has all that he can desire, and professes himself willing to trust it to point the way across the world of waters before him. But when the storms of adversity and persecution come, and he gets out into the broad sea of affliction, he begins to despair of reaching the destined port, and it is at this time that the great enemy of souls suggests to him that his compass is not true, and he is about to abandon it when he is influenced by some fellow pilgrim, more experienced than himself, to wait a little while and try the Spirit. This he does, when soon to his joy, he finds it still true and pointing to Jesus, his polar star, and he feels he has that which will guide him to his anticipated haven of rest.

And again, the seaman's compass may be rendered useless by placing a piece of steel alongside the needle, which will so paralyze it as to cause it not to fly so readily to the pole as it ought. So the Christian may think that he is sailing just in accordance with his directions, when at the same time he may have something alongside the good compass which will so paralyze its influence, that it will not do its office work upon his heart (the principal of which is to reprove us of sin, of righteousness and a judgment to come).

Now the loss of the compass is the greatest possible calamity that can befall the mariner. And knowing this, and also that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, let us search carefully lest we grieve the holy Spirit of God, whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption, Eph. iv, 30, and thereby lose its blessed influence, and be left to our own ways and the buffetings of the adversary, which will at last drown us in destruction. There are many ways in which we are liable to do this, one of which is to go contrary to the directions laid down on our good chart. Our Saviour says, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal." Matt. vi, 19. Now the love of treasures and the proneness of man to seek after them, constitute one of the most prominent dangers, on this, the most dangerous part of our voyage.

Covetousness is the characteristic of the day in which we live. Many who think they are making a straight course for the better land, are trying to carry the world in one hand, and religion in the other. To lay up treasures upon earth, seems to be the chief object in view, even among professed Christians.

We find this very prominent danger laid down in 2 Tim. iii, 2, among a very notable cluster of rocks, to which those who live in the "last days" will be exposed. The love of riches suffered to remain in the heart, will as effectually paralyze the influence of the Holy Spirit, as will a piece of steel the seaman's compass. There are many who have been taken in this snare of the enemy, and who shall say, I am safe.

Let us remember that "they that will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Tim. vi, 9, 10.

We might speak of many other ways in which we are liable to grieve the Holy Spirit, but we have already lengthened our article beyond our intention. I would say, Let us take the Bible as the man of our counsel, that it may be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, and pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that we may be led into "all truth," and soon we shall reach that haven of rest that remains for the people of God. J. W. WRIGHT.