p. 196 | Untitled article by J. Clarke

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

Sabbath Meditations No. 3.

By J. Clarke

“COME, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.”

“For behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”

Earth shall disclose her blood, and no more cover her slain. When?

Certainly this must refer to the scenes connected with the resurrection and final judgment. And living as we do at this time of peril, looking for the soon coming of the Saviour, and the fearful events to precede that glorious advent, oh, how comforting this invitation to seclude ourselves (in a sense), and shut the doors about us. How can this be done? Shall we banish ourselves from society, and like the cowled monk retire to the cloister? Far from this. Says Jesus, “When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” An example of this is presented in the person of Jesus Christ, who often sought the lonely mountain groves, where he might commune with God. Often by night did he resort to lonely, solitary places, there to meditate and pray; and strengthened by such exercises, he came forth to instruct the multitudes who thronged to hear his eloquent words. Meditation and prayer fitted him to wield an influence holy and powerful. Should Jesus find meditation and prayer necessary as an aid to his usefulness, and shall his lowly followers do less? Shall we aspire to usefulness, to heavenly-mindedness, to holiness, and shall we not pay the price? Can we rise to those heights of consecration, and still the mind be a thoroughfare of worldly thoughts and plans?

Shut thy doors about thee. Oh, sweet place of retirement! sweet hours alone with God! whether this seclusion is the desert, the forest, or in the peaceful mind stayed upon God.

Says the Psalmist, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” How shall we shut the doors about us? By meditation and reflection upon holy themes, open thy soul to the influence of the good Spirit, and hold sweet intercourse with God. It will strengthen thee, comfort thee, sustain, and sweetly control thee. How privileged was Moses, the man of God, shut in with God for forty days, and yet another forty days, until his face shone. We must not meditate so little, and so seldom, but longer and more frequently: sit as present before the Lord, until his image is impressed upon the soul.

As you sit and calmly wait till the faithful light impresses your picture upon the metallic plate of the artist, so in meditation and communion with God, does his image impress itself upon the soul. Then sit until the likeness is good.

Long ago this image was impressed upon the mind of our great parent, Adam; but 6000 years of sin and suffering, and unsanctified affections, have almost obliterated this picture from the soul. Often have our parents in the long line of our ancestry from Adam, cursed God in their hearts, and we feel the effects of their iniquities.

How shall we recover the loss? Often let us seek the place of meditation, and there commune with God, and there hold our minds in that glorious light, until Jesus is formed within us the hope of glory. Oh, how lovely is that likeness! embellishing all that is lovely and beautiful, purifying as much as it charms, arming modesty with strength, softening the sterner aspect of man, while it clothes virtue with God-like courage. Often let us linger with Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, or with Jesus in the mount of Olives, or in Gethsemane. Can we leave such blessed places?

J. CLARKE.