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Take Heed

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 17, 1863

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 21, No. 12.

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Take Heed

By Jos. Clarke

To yourselves, lest at anytime your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. Luke xxi, 34.
Christ, as he looked down to the last age, saw with prophetic clearness, the peculiar temptations to which his remnant people would be exposed. He saw that the race of Adam had deteriorated, and the last generation of men, weaker than any former generation, and rendered still more so by the voluptuousness and luxurious manners of the times, would, unless peculiarly guarded, become easily drawn aside.
The pride and luxury of the present age, render living in a decent manner, expensive, and greatly increase worldly care.
Food must be prepared with artistical skill, or the palate of the last day voluptuary, is offended. He loathes plain food. Care and expense must be incurred, in order to safely and comfortably support a family in these times; and he who ministers most to the luxury and voluptuousness of the times, is generally considered as fortunate in having the means so to do.
But there is a consistent position to be found on this point. Such are the habits of mankind at the present day, that even here, much effort and perseverance are necessary, in order to come up to the mark, and in this struggle for a decent subsistence is the great danger of which Christ speaks—cares of this life.
How many toil and economize, yet have many real wants unsupplied, and more fancied ones; cheated by last-day sharpers: losses by fire; by floods; by drouth and by unfaithful laborers, and agents; pulled down by headaches, colds, consumptions, rheumatism, and countless ills; old debts and mortgages, high prices, &c. O the cares of this life!
What can be done, says one, with such a catalogue of distresses? Work the harder, says another, until your treasuries overflow.
Take heed! needful labor is necessary, industry is a virtue, and enterprise in lawful pursuits is commendable; but see to the heart! Keep these cares, these enterprises, these earthly treasures, outside the heart! Never let them intrude to the inner temple but value them, as the mechanic does his scaffolding, as a temporary support while he does his work.
Keep the heart a holy place, for the pleasant family of Christian graces.
“Trust in the Lord and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.” Jos. CLARKE.