EXPERIENCE by J. Clarke

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 20, 1862

EXPERIENCE.

By J. Clarke

I HAVE thought when leaving home to transact business with the world, how necessary to be armed with patience, wisdom, and every Christian grace, and to set a double watch over my heart and tongue, lest I might injure the cause of Christ, and by some impatient or idle word wound the feelings of a fellow-creature, or hurt the cause of truth. And when God has been so good as to hear my prayer, I have been happy indeed, and returned home rejoicing. But I did not think of any particular necessity for special watchfulness and prayer, on returning home, but rather a tendency like this, although I was at the time insensible of any such course of reasoning, yet virtually, and practically, and tacitly, such was the train of my meditations:

"The Lord has helped me; now I'm going home, where I shall find help rather than hindrance. Now I can rest from such eagle-eyed watchfulness, and our conversation will be upon such subjects as pertain to present truth, and these secular subjects can be banished from my mind. I have not that call for special watchfulness which I had when I left home. O, what a privilege it is to have one's companion in the truth."

On arriving home in this somewhat complacent mood, perhaps the first thing I see is some broken wagon, or lame horse, or the hay has been wasted, or something dreadfully provoking. Directly I'm in a trial, almost a pet, perhaps quite so; peace gone, complacency completely exploded.

I've concluded one needs as much preparation of heart, as much watchfulness and prayer, at home as abroad, and it gives me much joy to believe and practice in accordance with this theory.

J. CLARKE.