ONE LESSON TOO MUCH by E. GOODRICH.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 11, 1862

ONE LESSON TOO MUCH.

By E. GOODRICH.

While in conversation with a near relative I was very much interested in hearing him narrate a few incidents of his life. Having hired himself out as a common brick-maker, for the season, he in company with a couple of fellow-laborers were fortunate enough to catch a swarm of bees as they were passing; and as my friend was quite a lover of bees, he bought of his fellows their interest and right to the swarm. Well, (as the narrative runs) in the fall of the year, when corn is fit for roasting and melons for picking, my friend, in company with his two fellows, sallied forth one night for the purpose of taking what they could find. And having taken what apples, corn and melons they wanted, they next came to neighbor T.'s bee stand, and taking a small hive therefrom, appropriated the honey to their own use. But what must have been the disappointment and chagrin of my friend on learning a few evenings afterward that his own swarm had been stolen, and that too by the same fellows with whom he had stolen neighbor T.'s? And I could not but exclaim, as he finished his story, Ah! you learned them one lesson too much.

The above is but a simple tale yet it illustrates a great moral truth, viz.: all sins are akin. We cannot therefore license men to commit one without preparing them for the commission of others.

As an instance, If we give our children liberty to disregard or live in open violation of the third and fourth commandments of the decalogue, we may rest assured that they will take the liberty and find a ready excuse for disregarding the fifth, yea, all the commandments. The mind is ever active, reaching forward after conclusions: and it is only necessary for us to teach the first principles of iniquity, to reap in those who receive our teaching the ripe fruits of high-hand-ed, heaven-daring sins. To the carnal mind, if we but give an inch, an unmeasurable distance will be taken. We cannot therefore be too careful of our influence and how we give men liberty to break even one of the least of God's commandments. And in Matt. v, 19, we have a very plain and pointed warning touching this very thing. The Saviour, after speaking in a very pointed manner of the perpetuity of both the law and the prophets, said, "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven." Can it be possible that those who indirectly and directly teach the abolition of the law of God realize the influence they exert upon those but too willing to escape all moral restraint? And can it be that Christ when he comes will say to such, Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord? This cannot be.

E. GOODRICH.

Edinboro, Pa.