Overcoming Idle Words by Emily Richardson

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 27, 1860

Overcoming Idle Words

By Emily Richardson

From Sister Richardson.

Bro. SMITH: I feel it my duty to write a few lines and speak of the great goodness of God to poor unworthy me for a few months past. My attention was first arrested when reading the 12th chapter of Matthew, 36th and 37th verses. I felt condemned for speaking so many useless, idle words. I felt as though I must set out anew, and try to break off from every idle word, and as soon as I began to take myself up on this point it seemed as though the enemy rallied all his forces against me, and crowded every unhallowed thought into my mind, and I sometimes felt almost discouraged. I thought I never could go through. I began to call upon the Lord, believing he would help me to control my thoughts, and to overcome. After this I soon found peace of mind, felt as though I was making some advancement, although I felt there was a great work to be done. I began to feel the importance of holiness of heart. I felt that I must be holy, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, before I could enter the kingdom, and when I thought of these things I felt sometimes as though such a poor, weak, worm of the dust could never go through to the kingdom. I was led to call upon the Lord for help. I felt a desire to consecrate myself wholly to the Lord. I thought I would lay all on the altar daily, but still I did not feel the evidence that God accepted the consecration, and for weeks I struggled on in this way, and could not tell why I did not feel the evidence of my acceptance; but when I read Bro. B. F. Robbin's piece in Review No. 15, Vol. xvi, I could see what hindered my acceptance with God; it was self. I did believe that the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin, but I did not believe that it did now, and for me; but I can say with the poet,

"I am the Lord's, and he is mine, Our hearts, our hopes, our passions join; Let not a motion nor a word, Or thought arise to grieve my Lord."

Dear brethren and sisters, it will do us no good to have a theory of the third angel's message without a heart-felt experience. We must have our heart cleansed from every idol and from everything that is unlike Jesus, before he can come in and sup with us. We

must rally around the high standard of holiness, and come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty. How important it is that we should watch and pray continually lest we enter into temptation. The Lord will not suffer us to be tempted above what we can bear if we keep hold of his strong arm. The work of holiness is an individual work, and it is what we must all have before we can meet the Saviour. Then let us see to it that we make sure work for the kingdom. Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith. Let us all try to form our character by the word of God, that we may all be found keeping his commandments and the faith of Jesus.

Your unworthy sister, EMILY RICHARDSON.

Stoddard, N. H., Nov. 7, 1860.