p. 205 | The Afflicted by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 28, 1865

The Afflicted.

By James White

THE Scriptures enjoin upon us the duty of remembering those that are in bonds, as bound with them. If we obey the dictates of our holy religion, often will we direct our thoughts to those who are afflicted. Our hearts, if wholly bent upon our business, or upon self, soon grow callous and hard as stone. Thus we find the rich are often unfeeling, because they have so much to see to of their own affairs.

I once went to a raising, in the very heat of a busy harvest; the man who invited us to help him, was so situated that he must have his house immediately to shelter his family, and he was poor. Only a few hands came to the raising, not half of those invited; one was a wealthy man, and one the son of a wealthy farmer. The others were poor men. One was a cripple, who hobbled nearly a mile, and left his work-bench, and lost his day's work, to help. The others were men who needed all their time to support their families; but they could not bear to see the house fail to be raised; they had hearts to feel, and hands to respond to this sympathy:

Where were the wealthy farmers on this occasion? Ah, they had become suddenly poor; poorer than the cripple, who hobbled a mile to help the poor. It was ten or more years ago, but it seems but yesterday, so painful were my reflections. I do not say that poverty always softens the heart; no, it sometimes makes a low shameless beggar; but I merely refer to the effect in general, of wealth upon the rich.

But I would touch upon another class of persons, who should have our sympathy, viz., the sick. At the present time, two of the General Conference Committee are in bonds, the bonds of disease and debility. Brn. White and Loughborough, and another effective laborer in the vineyard, are now laid up, and taken from their respective fields of labor, and we seem to be alone, like a family bereft of their natural protectors.

The work of Bro. White has been unceasing for many years; he has been the heart and soul of the work; and suddenly he is struck down by disease. We all seem paralyzed too, for we have leaned so much upon him, that he has at last given away. Not his spirit, not his courage, but his strength of body has finally failed. Bro. Loughborough, who has so long and faithfully stood in the gap, and wielded the sword of the Spirit, has sunk down from exhaustion; and what is most melancholy of all, they failed not while combatting enemies without, BUT WHILE RESTORING ORDER AMONG PROFESSED FRIENDS.

Bro. Bourdeau, whose testimony on sanctification is so much needed among us, is also in bonds. Disease holds him in her cruel chains. I have heard Bro. Bourdeau, and while he spoke on the subject of personal holiness, with tenderness and love, and mild but fervid eloquence, I was happy to think that soon his voice would sound among all the churches, melting into holy love, and persuading all to holy living. But alas! we are doomed to disappointment, and hope deferred, which makes the heart sick.

Now let us, one and all, make these brethren, who are now invalids in Dr. Jackson's hospital, these dear brethren bound in the chains of disease, confined and banished from their fields of labor, feel that we sympathize with them.

As yet, few donations have been made for them. Their position at present is somewhat expensive; but what sick man can avoid expense? and let us show to them, by our acts, that we appreciate their existence, which has been devoted wholly to the truth. Where in the world are the men who could fill their places? If we lose these men of experience, where are we? They should not have an anxious thought about the means to sustain them; but like a flowing rill, let their good works flow back into their hearts, and may the Lord soon raise them up in power.

Perhaps while we are left alone, as it were, our reflections may be of great advantage to us; and then, when they come again among us, their words will sink the deeper into our hearts, and we shall be the more

edified, and thus may God sanctify to us and to them this affliction.

Perhaps the Lord is wearied with our slow reform. It is evident from Scripture, that this message is not to move with slow and slothful pace; perhaps we have been slow to heed the rebukes sent in love. Shall we not examine ourselves in the light of those testimonies which God has given us? But stop! how can we do this, when not one half of our people have a full set of these works! and a still smaller number study them with care!!

Are we not on enchanted ground?

J. CLARKE.

Portage, Ohio.