p. 46 | A Word of Admonition by E. Goodrich

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 9, 1866

A Word of Admonition.

By E. Goodrich

It is a fact not so generally observed, nor as fully realized as it ought to be, that our religious impressions begin very early in life, even before the mind has become affected with sin. And the manner in which these first (and generally vivid) impressions are regarded and treated has much to do with our future religious history.

While recently reading the life, and noting various incidents in the labors of a certain colporteur, I was forcibly impressed with the idea gathered, viz., that the Spirit of God strives particularly with young persons—most from about thirteen to seventeen years of age. He gave several instances of persons, some of men and some of women, whose early life was marked by strong and continual religious convictions; but they resisted the strivings of the Spirit of God upon their hearts, some by attending social parties, some by frequenting the ball-room, others by seeking the card or gaming-table, and in various ways, and the consequence was, that the Holy Spirit ceased to strive with them and they were left in despair. And not only were they left without God and without hope in the world, but they died as they lived, wretched, without one ray of hope to

illume and cheer their pathway.

And one can but exclaim as he remarks such cases as these, Oh, what a solemn and awful warning is this to all young persons not to resist, but to encourage the strivings of God's Spirit. God has said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, and we are frequently exhorted and admonished in the New Testament, not to resist or quench the Holy Spirit.

One instance enforcing the truth of the above, may serve to complete the lesson. On a certain occasion meeting for preaching having been appointed, the congregation was so large it was thought best to divide it, which was done, part remaining and part retiring a short distance to a nicely shaded cemetery. The minister preaching at the latter place, feeling and speaking as though standing between the living and dead, the occasion was made deeply solemn by the Spirit of God constraining men to repent. One old man whose silver locks told that his day was well nigh passed, who had always purposed to give his heart to Christ, but had never found the favorable time looked for, was so wrought upon by the Holy Ghost—by a sense of his need of Christ and powerful conviction of sin, that he trembled like an aspen leaf. He was urged to embrace the Saviour, but as ever, he said, Not now, not now. And the result was, that from that hour the Spirit ceased to strive with him, and in a few weeks he died, saying, Oh, I might have been saved then, but there is no hope for me now.

We have almost in every country, places of amusement and entertainment, where tragical scenes of sorrow, suffering, and blighted hopes are pictured; but there is no tragedy, either as a fact or a fiction, so filled with despair and horror as that which reads, Oh, he lived and died without God.

E. GOODRICH.