Earlier text: JEREMIAH REPROVES ISRAEL.THE WARNINGS OF GOD REJECTED.
Jeremiah was already deprived of his liberty because he would obey God, and give to the king and others occupying responsible positions in Israel, the words of warning which he had received from the mouth of God. The Israelites would not accept these reproofs, nor allow their course to be questioned. They had manifested great anger and contempt at the words of rebuke, and at the judgments which were predicted to come upon them if they continued in rebellion against the Lord. Although Israel would not hear the word of divine counsel, it did not make that word of less effect, neither did God cease to reprove, and to threaten with his displeasure and his judgments those who refused to obey his requirements. The Lord directed Jeremiah, saying, “Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the day of Josiah even unto this day. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them, that they may return every man from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.” Here is shown the Lord’s reluctance to give up his sinning people. And lest Israel had so far neglected his reproofs and warnings as to let them pass from their memory, he delays his judgments upon them, and gives them a full rehearsal of their disobedience and aggravating sins177from the days of Josiah down to their own time, and of the judgments he had pronounced in consequence of their transgressions. Thus they had another opportunity to see their iniquity and repent. In this we see that God does not delight in afflicting his people; but with a care that surpasses that of a pitying father for a wayward child, he entreats his wandering people to return to their allegiance. The prophet Jeremiah, in obedience to the commands of God, dictated the words that the Lord gave him to Baruch, his scribe, who wrote them upon a roll. (See Jer. 36:4.) This message was a reproof of the many sins of Israel, and a warning of the consequences that would follow a continuance of their evil course. It was an earnest appeal for them to renounce their sins. After it was written, Jeremiah, who was a prisoner, sent his scribe to read the roll to all the people who had assembled “in the Lord’s house upon the fasting day.” Said the prophet, “It may be they will present their supplication before the Lord, and will return every one from his evil way; for great is the anger and the fury that the Lord hath pronounced against this people.” The scribe obeyed the prophet, and the roll was read before all the people of Judah. But this was not all; he was summoned to read it before the princes. They listened with great interest, and fear was stamped upon their faces as they questioned Baruch concerning the mysterious writing. They promised to tell the king all they had heard in regard to him and his people, but counseled the scribe to hide himself, as they feared that the king would reject the testimony God had given through Jeremiah, and seek to slay not only the prophet, but his scribe. When the king was told by the princes of what Baruch had read, he immediately ordered the roll brought and read to him. But instead of heeding its warnings, and trembling at the danger that hung over himself and his people, in a frenzy of rage he flung it into the fire, notwithstanding certain ones who were high in his confidence had begged him not to burn it. Then the wrath178of this wicked monarch rose against Jeremiah and his scribe, and he forthwith sent for them to be taken; “but the Lord hid them.” After the king had burned the sacred roll, the word of God came to Jeremiah, saying, “Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, hath burned. And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Thus saith the Lord, Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?” A merciful God had graciously warned the people for their good. “It may be,” said the compassionate Creator, “that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them, that they may return every man from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.” God pities the blindness and perversity of man; he sends light to their darkened understanding in reproofs and threatenings which are designed to make the most exalted feel their ignorance and deplore their errors. He would cause the self-complacent to feel dissatisfied with their attainments, and seek greater blessings by closer connection with Heaven. God’s plan is not to send messengers who will please and flatter sinners; he delivers no messages of peace to lull the unsanctified into carnal security. But he lays heavy burdens upon the conscience of the wrong-doer, and pierces his soul with sharp arrows of conviction. The ministering angels present to him the fearful judgments of God, to deepen the sense of his great need, and prompt the agonizing cry, “What shall I do to be saved?” The very hand that humbles to the dust, rebukes sin, puts pride and ambition to shame, lifts up the penitent, stricken one, and inquires with deepest sympathy, “What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?” When man has sinned against a holy and merciful God, he can pursue no course so noble as to sincerely repent, and confess his errors in tears and bitterness of soul. This God requires of him; he will accept of nothing less than a broken heart and a contrite spirit.179But the king and his lords, in their arrogance and pride, refused the invitation of God to return; they would not heed this warning, and repent. This gracious opportunity was their last. God had declared that if they refused to hear his voice, he would inflict upon them fearful retribution. They did refuse to hear, and he pronounced his judgments upon Israel; he visited with special wrath the man who had proudly lifted himself up against the Almighty. “Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim king of Judah, He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David; and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost. And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.” The burning of the roll was not the end of the matter. The written words were more easily disposed of than the reproof and warning which they contained, and the swift-coming punishment which God had pronounced against rebellious Israel. But even the written roll was reproduced at the command of the Lord. The words of the Infinite were not to be destroyed. “Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and there were added besides unto them many like words.” God does not send judgments upon his people without first warning them to repent. He uses every means to bring them back to obedience, and does not visit their iniquity with judgments until he has given them ample opportunity to repent. The wrath of man sought to prevent the labors of the prophet of God by depriving him of his liberty; but God can speak to men through prison walls, and even increase the usefulness of his servants through the very means by which their persecutors seek to limit their influence. Many now despise the faithful reproof given of God in testimony. I have been shown that some in these days have even gone so far as to burn the written words of rebuke and warning, as did the wicked king of Israel. But opposition to God’s threatenings will not hinder their execution. To defy the words of the Lord, spoken through his chosen instruments, will only provoke his anger, and eventually bring certain ruin upon the offender. Indignation often kindles in the heart of the sinner against the agent whom God chooses to deliver his reproofs. It has ever been thus; and the same spirit exists to-day that persecuted and imprisoned Jeremiah for obeying the word of the Lord. While men will not heed repeated warnings, they are pleased with false teachers who flatter their vanity and strengthen their iniquity, but who will fail to help them in the day of trouble. God’s chosen servants should meet with courage and patience whatever trials and sufferings befall them through reproach, neglect, or misrepresentations because they faithfully discharge the duty that God has given them to do. They should remember that the prophets of old and the Saviour of the world also endured abuse and persecution for the word’s sake. They must expect to meet just such opposition as was manifested by the burning of the roll that was written by the dictation of God. The Lord is fitting a people for Heaven. The defects of character, the stubborn will, the selfish idolatry, the indulgence of fault-finding, hatred, and contention, provoke the wrath of God, and must be put away from his commandment-keeping people. Those living in these sins are deceived and blinded by the wiles of Satan. They think that they are in the light when they are groping in darkness. There are murmurers among us now, even as there were murmurers among ancient Israel. Those who by unwise sympathy encourage men in rebellion when their self-love is smarting beneath merited reproof, are not the friends of God, the great Reprover. God will send reproof and warning to his people as long as they continue upon earth. Those who valiantly take their position on the right side, who encourage submission to God’s revealed will, and strengthen others in their efforts to put away their wrong-doings, are the true friends of the Lord, who in love is trying to correct the errors of his people, that he may wash them, and, cleansing them from every defilement, fit them for his holy kingdom. Zedekiah succeeded Jehoiakim in reigning at Jerusalem. But neither the new king, nor his court, nor the people of the land, hearkened to the words of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah. The Chaldeans commenced the siege against Jerusalem, but were diverted for a time to turn their arms against the Egyptians. Zedekiah sent a messenger to Jeremiah, asking him to pray to the God of Israel in their behalf; but the prophet’s fearful answer was that the Chaldean army would return and destroy the city. Thus the Lord showed them how impossible it is for man to avert divine judgment. “Thus saith the Lord, Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us; for they shall not depart. For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.” Jeremiah considered his work done, and attempted to leave the city; but he was prevented by a son of one of the false prophets, who reported that he was about to join the enemy. Jeremiah denied the lying charge, but nevertheless he was brought back. The princes were ready to believe the son of the false prophet, because they hated Jeremiah. They seemed to think that he had brought upon them the calamity which he had predicted. In their wrath they smote him and imprisoned him. After he had remained in the dungeon many days, Zedekiah the king sent for him, and asked him secretly if there was any word from the Lord. Jeremiah again repeated his warning that the nation would be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon. “Moreover Jeremiah said unto the king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison? Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land? Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king; let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee, that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there. Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the baker’s street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.” The wicked king dared not openly manifest any faith in Jeremiah; but his fear drove him to seek information of him. Yet he was too weak to brave the disapprobation of his nobles and of the people by submitting to the will of God as declared by the prophet. At last, men in authority who were enraged because Jeremiah persisted in prophesying evil, went to the king, and told him that as long as the prophet lived he would not cease to predict calamity. They urged that he was an enemy to the nation, and that his words had weakened the hands of the people and brought misfortune upon them; and they wanted him put to death. The cowardly king knew these charges were false; but in order to propitiate those who occupied high and influential positions in the nation, he feigned to believe their falsehoods, and gave Jeremiah into their hands to do with him as they pleased. Accordingly the prophet was taken and cast “into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison; and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire; so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.” But God raised up friends for him, who besought the king in his behalf, and had him again removed to the court of the prison. Once more the king sent privately for Jeremiah, and,183bade him faithfully relate the purpose of God toward Jerusalem. “Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me? So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the Lord liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.” Then Jeremiah again sounded the Lord’s note of warning in the ears of the king. Said he: “Thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house. But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand. And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the Lord, which I speak unto thee; so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.” Here was exhibited the long-suffering mercy of God. Even at that late hour, if there were submission to his requirements, the lives of the people would be spared, and the city saved from conflagration. But the king thought he had gone too far to retract. He was afraid of the Jews, afraid of becoming a subject of ridicule, afraid for his life. It was too humiliating, at that late day, to say to the people, “I accept the word of the Lord, as spoken through his prophet Jeremiah. I dare not venture to war against the enemy in the face of all these warnings.” With tears Jeremiah entreated the king to save himself and his people. With anguish of spirit he assured him that he could not escape with his life, and that all his possessions would fall to the king of Babylon. He would save the city if he would. But he had started184upon the wrong track, and would not retrace his steps. He decided to follow the counsel of false prophets, and of men whom he really despised, and who ridiculed his weakness of character in yielding so readily to their wishes. He yielded the noble freedom of his manhood to become a cringing slave to public opinion. While he had no fixed purpose of evil, he also had no resolution to stand boldly for the right. While he was convicted of the truth as spoken by Jeremiah, he did not possess the moral stamina to obey his counsel, but advanced steadily in the wrong direction. He was even too weak to be willing that his courtiers and people should know that he had held a conference with the prophet, so far had the fear of man taken possession of his soul. If this cowardly ruler had stood bravely before his people and declared that he believed the words of the prophet, already half-fulfilled, what desolation might have been averted! He should have said, “I will obey the Lord, and save the city from utter ruin. I dare not disregard the commands of God for the fear or favor of men. I love the truth, I hate sin, and I will follow the counsel of the Mighty One of Israel.” Then the people would have respected his courageous spirit, and those who were wavering between faith and unbelief would have taken a firm stand for the right. The very fearlessness and justice of this course would have inspired his subjects with admiration and loyalty. He would have had ample support; and Israel would have been spared the untold woe of fire and carnage and famine. But the weakness of Zedekiah was a crime for which he paid a fearful penalty. The enemy swept down like a resistless avalanche, and devastated the city. The Hebrew armies were beaten back in confusion. The nation was conquered. Zedekiah was taken prisoner, and his sons were slain before his eyes. Then he was led away from Jerusalem a captive, hearing the shrieks of his wretched people, and the roaring of the flames that were devouring their homes. His eyes were put out, and, when he arrived at Babylon, he perished miserably.185This was the punishment of unbelief and following ungodly counsel. There are many false prophets in these days, to whom sin does not appear specially repulsive. They complain that the peace of the people is unnecessarily disturbed by the reproofs and warnings of God’s messengers. As for them, they lull the souls of sinners into a fatal ease by their smooth and deceitful teachings. Ancient Israel was thus charmed by the flattering messages of the corrupt priests. Their prediction of prosperity was more pleasing than the message of the true prophet, who counseled repentance and submission. The servants of God should manifest a tender, compassionate spirit, and show to all that they are not actuated by any personal motives in their dealings with the people, and that they do not take delight in giving messages of wrath in the name of the Lord. But they must never flinch from pointing out the sins that are corrupting the professed people of God, nor cease striving to influence them to turn from their errors and obey the Lord. Those who seek to cloak sin, and make it appear less aggravating to the mind of the offender, are doing the work of the false prophets, and may expect the retributive wrath of God to follow such a course. The Lord will never accommodate his ways to the wishes of corrupt men. The false prophet condemned Jeremiah for afflicting the people with his severe denunciations; and he sought to re-assure them by promising them prosperity, thinking that the poor people should not be continually reminded of their sins and threatened with punishment. This course strengthened the people to resist the true prophet’s counsel, and intensified their enmity toward him. God has no sympathy with the evil-doer. He gives no one liberty to gloss over the sins of his people, nor to cry, “Peace, peace!” when he has declared that there shall be no peace for the wicked. Those who stir up rebellion against the servants whom God sends to deliver his messages, are rebelling against the word of the Lord. FAITHFUL REPROOFS NECESSARY.
The following testimony, given in my last vision, Jan. 5, 1875, I wrote in my tent between the services of the Vermont camp-meeting, August, 1875. It sets forth the condition of things at —— in January, 1875. Developments during the following summer fully justified the apparent severity of the testimony. In September I read portions of it to that church, and a great work commenced under our labors; yet, for the benefit of that church and others, I give the testimony in this humble work. Darkness is getting the control where only the Spirit of God should rule. But few who engage in the work realize the necessity of personal effort and individual responsibility in whatever department they occupy. Few feel the sacredness of the work in which they are engaged. They regard it as upon a common level with ordinary enterprises. Selfishness predominates with many who should know that a life of self-sacrificing love is a life of peace and liberty. Those who seek happiness by gratifying themselves, and looking out mainly for their own interests, are on the wrong track to secure happiness even upon earth. Whoever is unfaithful in the least of his duties, is unfaithful in greater ones. If he neglects to faithfully perform the small tasks devolving upon him, he proves himself incapable of bearing weightier responsibilities; he indicates that he is not whole-hearted in the work, and that he does not have an eye single to the glory of God. Some are ready to define the duties that belong to others, and realize the full importance of their responsibilities, but fail to readily perceive their own. Personal fidelity and individual responsibility are needed especially in the Health Institute [now Sanitarium], and in the Office, the church, and the school. If all connected with these institutions were listening eagerly to hear what Jesus directed them to do, instead of turning to ask what this man or that man shall do, we should witness187a great change in every department of the work. If the language of each heart was, “I must listen to Christ’s teachings, and obey his voice; no one can do my work for me; the attention of others can never repair my negligence,” then we might see the cause of God advancing as it has never yet advanced. It is this holding back, waiting for others to do, that brings spiritual feebleness. To reserve one’s energies is a sure way to lessen them. Jesus requires implicit obedience and willing submission from all his servants. There must be no halting or self-indulgence in the service of Christ. There is no concord between Christ and Belial. What a lack of devotion to the work of God, what a want of care-taking, has there been at ——. The heart of A has not been devoted to God. He has capabilities and talents for which he must render an account to the great Giver of all. His heart has been unconsecrated, and his life unworthy of his profession; yet he has been closely connected with the sacred work of God for more than a score of years. What light he has had, what privileges! He has enjoyed the rarest opportunities to develop a substantial Christian character. The words of Christ when he wept over Jerusalem, are applicable to him: “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.” A, the retribution of God hangs over you, “because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” B is of the same cast of mind, but not so thoroughly selfish. Both are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Their course is entirely inconsistent with the Christian life. They lack stability, sobriety, and devotion to God. With B the work of grace is altogether too superficial. He desires to be a Christian, but does not strive to maintain the victory over self, and act up to his convictions of right and wrong. Deeds, not idle words and empty intentions, are acceptable to God. A, you have heard the word of God in reproofs, in counsels, in warnings, as well as in the entreaties of love. But hearing is not enough. “Be ye doers of the word, and188not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” It is easy to be borne along by the current, and to cry, Hosannah! with the multitude; but in the calm of every-day life, when there is no special excitement or exaltation, then comes the test of true Christianity. It is then that your heart becomes cold, and your zeal abates, and religious exercises become distasteful to you. You positively neglect to do the will of God. Says Christ, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” This is the condition imposed; this is the test that proves men’s characters. Feelings are often deceiving, emotions are no sure safeguard; for they are variable and subject to external circumstances. Many are deluded by relying on sensational impressions. The test is, What are you doing for Christ? What sacrifices are you making? What victories are you gaining? A selfish spirit overcome, a temptation to neglect duty resisted, passion subdued, and willing, cheerful obedience rendered to the will of Christ, is far greater evidence that you are a child of God than spasmodic piety and emotional religion. Both of you have been averse to reproof; it has ever awakened disaffection and murmuring in your hearts against your best Friend, who has ever sought to do you good, and whom you have every reason to respect. You have separated yourselves from him, and have vexed the Spirit of God by rising up against the words he has given his servants to speak in regard to your course. You have not listened to these admonitions, and have thus rejected the Spirit of God and turned it from your hearts, and have become careless and indifferent in your deportment. Bro. A, you should have gained a valuable experience during the many years that you have been blessed with the great light God has permitted to shine upon your pathway. I heard a voice saying in reference to you, “It is an unfruitful tree; why should its fruitless branches shadow the space that a fruitful tree might occupy? Cut it down; for why cumbereth it the ground?” Then I heard the pleading tones of Mercy’s sweet voice,189saying, “Spare it a little longer. I will dig about its roots; I will prune it. Give it one more trial; if it fails to be fruitful then, you may cut it down.” So a little longer probation is granted the unproductive tree, a little longer time for the barren life to blossom and bear fruit. Will the opportunity given be improved? Will the warnings of God’s Spirit be heeded? The words of Jesus in regard to Jerusalem after she had slighted the salvation graciously offered by her Redeemer, are also, in substance, spoken unto you: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, . . . how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Christ pleaded, he invited; but his love was unrequited by the people he came to save. You have done no better in your day than did the poor, self-deceived and blinded Jews in theirs. You might have improved your blessed privileges and opportunities, and perfected Christian character; but your heart has been rebellious, and you “would not” humble yourself to be truly converted, and live in obedience to God’s requirements. The unreconciled feelings and murmurings which have been expressed by some, have also been festering in your soul, although you have not dared to speak out plainly to the same effect. It would have been better for the Office and for all concerned, had you been separated from it years ago. The more light you have had, the more privileges you have enjoyed, the less sincerity and righteousness have you manifested. Your heart has been carnal, and you have neglected the expressed word of God. Although you have been hedged about with warnings and counsels, and have had the strongest evidence that God was in this work, and that his voice was speaking to you, yet you have slighted and rejected solemn reproofs, and gone on in your own selfish, willful way. Sometimes your fears have been aroused, but still you have never realized your wretched spiritual condition and absolute danger. You have repeatedly fallen back again into the same state of indifference and selfishness. Your repentance has never gone deep enough to perfect a thorough reformation.190You have had a surface work, but not that entire transformation which is necessary in order to bring you into acceptance with God. “He that followeth me,” says Christ, “shall not walk in darkness.” But through the greater part of your professed Christian life you have walked in darkness, because you have failed to connect with Heaven, and receive the pure light of God’s Spirit. If you were in daily communion with the Lord, and cultivated a love for souls, you would grow out of self, and become an earnest worker in the vineyard of the Lord. You would perceive how the faithful performance of the duties of life would preserve you from self-love and self-gratification. You have not been diligent, seeking to gain an advanced experience every day. You should be at this time a trusty man in any position of responsibility, but selfishness has marked the performance of everything you have set your hand to do. You have been wise in your own conceit, but have failed to gain wisdom from the experience of many years. B has been vain. He might have moved steadily forward, growing in grace, but the external appearance has seemed to him more important than the inward adorning, even the garment of a meek and quiet spirit, which God accounts of great value. Unbelievers who have been employed in the Office, but have not had the light of present truth as you have had, have nevertheless been far more faithful and conscientious than either of you whom I am addressing. If you had been diligently gathering with Christ, some of these would now be with us in the truth. But your lives were a stumbling-block to them. God looks upon these unbelievers with greater pity and favor than upon those who believe the truth, yet deny him in their works. That belief that is laid aside when convenient, and put on and off like a garment, is not the religion of Christ, but a spurious article that will not bear the tests even of this world. True religion is ever distinctly seen in our words and deportment, and in every act of life. With the followers of Christ, religion should never be divorced from business.191They should go hand in hand, and God’s commandments should be strictly regarded in all the details of worldly matters. The knowledge that we are children of God should give a high tone of character even to the every-day duties of life, making us not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit. Such a religion as this bears the scrutiny of a critical world with a grand consciousness of integrity. Every workman in the Office should consider himself God’s steward, and should do his work with exactness and faithful vigilance. The constant inquiry should be, “Is this in accordance with the will of God? Will this please my Redeemer?” Bible religion elevates the reason until Christ is blended with all the thoughts. Every action, every word, and every moment of our lives should bear the impress of our holy faith. The end of all things is at hand, and we have no time to be idle, or to live in pleasure, at cross-purposes with God. The Lord will not be trifled with. Those who neglect his mercies and blessings in this day of opportunities will bring impenetrable darkness upon themselves, and will be candidates for the wrath of God. Sodom and Gomorrah were visited with the curse of the Almighty for their sins and iniquities. There are those in our day who have equally abused the mercies of God and slighted his warnings. It will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment, than for those who bear the name of Christ, yet dishonor him by their unconsecrated lives. This class are laying up for themselves a fearful retribution, when God in his wrath shall visit them with his judgments. Sinners who have not had the light and privileges that Seventh-day Adventists have enjoyed, will, in their ignorance, be in a more favorable position before God than those who have been unfaithful while in close connection with his work, and professing to love and serve him. The tears of Christ upon the mount came from an anguished, breaking heart, because of his unrequited love and the ingratitude of his chosen people. He had labored untiringly to save them from the fate that they192seemed determined to bring upon themselves; but they refused his mercy, and knew not the time of their visitation. Their day of privilege was ending; yet they were so blinded by sin that they knew it not. Jesus looked down through the centuries even to the close of time, and taking in the cases of all who had repaid his love and admonitions with selfishness and neglect, and all who would thus repay him, he addressed to them those solemn words, declaring that they knew not the time of their visitation. The Jews were gathering about themselves the dark clouds of retribution; and many today, in like manner, are drawing upon themselves the wrath of God, because of opportunities unimproved, the counsels and love of Jesus scorned, and his servants despised and hated for speaking the truth. There is no place on the face of the earth where so great light has been granted as at ——. Even Jerusalem of old was not more highly favored with the beams of Heaven’s light shining upon the way that her people should tread. Yet they have failed to walk, by faithful obedience, in the full radiance of the light, serving God night and day. A sickly, dwarfed religion is the result of neglecting to follow the revealed light of the Spirit of the Lord. Energy and love increase as we exercise them, and the Christian graces can be developed only by careful cultivation. NECESSITY OF FAMILY DISCIPLINE.
The state of many in —— is truly alarming; especially is this the case with a majority of the youth. Families have moved to the place with the understanding that they were not to burden the church, but to be a help to it. With a considerable number, the result has been quite the contrary. The neglect of parents to properly discipline their children has been a fruitful source of evil in many families. The youth have not been restrained as they should have been. Parents have neglected to follow the directions of the word of God in this matter, and the children have taken the reins of government into their own hands. The consequence has193been that they have generally succeeded in ruling their parents, instead of being under their authority. The parents are blind to the true state of their children, who have succeeded in entirely deceiving them. But those who have lost the control of their children are not pleased when others seek to control them, or to point out their defects for the purpose of correcting them. The cause of God has been retarded in —— by parents bringing their unruly and undisciplined children into this large church. Many are living in constant neglect of their duty to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; yet these very ones have most to say concerning the wickedness of the youth in ——, when it is the wrong example and evil influence of their own children that has demoralized the young people with whom they have associated. Such families have brought upon this church its heaviest burdens. They come with false ideas. They seem to expect the church to be faultless, and that it will take the responsibility of making Christians of those very children whom they, as parents, are unable to control or keep within bounds. They throw themselves upon the church, a terrible and crushing weight. They might be a help, if they would yield their selfishness, and strive to honor God, and to repair the mistakes they have made in their lives. But they do no such thing; they hold themselves aloof, ready to criticise the lack of spirituality in the church, whose greatest calamity is that it numbers among its members too many like themselves,—dead weights, persons whose hearts and lives are unconsecrated, and whose course is all wrong. The institutions located at —— have carried along too many diseased and lifeless bodies for their own prosperity and spiritual vitality.