Miscellaneous by A. P. Lawton

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Aug 4, 1863

Miscellaneous.

By A. P. Lawton

ONE GIFT IN THE CHURCH.

We hear it repeated, Is there to be but one gift in the church? As there are diversities of gifts in the church, this must have reference to the gift of prophecy. As it is more easy to ask questions than to answer them, I will ask a few. Would it be policy in the church to heap to themselves teachers while they have not learned and heeded the lessons and instructions of one? Does not God know when the church is prepared for a more full development of the various gifts? Are we yet ignorant that we are a stiff-necked and rebellious people? Are we adequate to be God's counselors? Do we not know that we are weak, and able as yet to bear but little at a time? Again it is said, Sister W.'s superior views are only the fruits of a deep Christian experience. Query. Could God favor one with a deep experience in the things of God, who would bear a false witness in regard to it?

GOD'S WAYS ARE EQUAL.

God is no respecter of persons, though he deals differently with different individuals. Some are to be saved with fear, pulling them out of the fire; while on others we are to have compassion, making a difference. All are not constituted alike. We should not compare our case with others which we consider similar. We may not be the proper judge in our own case. Let us fall into the hands of God and his people, and let them judge. Do we not know that the saints shall judge the world? God's own children he will most assuredly chasten and prove. In no other way can the true character be fully developed. The church has no doubt entered the all-important crisis of being weighed and proved. This is a solemn and important time. Satan is crying, Peace. A little more sleep, a little more slumber, and our chance is gone forever.

GOD LOVES THE CHEERFUL GIVER.

We seem as reluctant to deny self, sacrifice self, a little ease, a little means, the pride of life, conformity to the world, the idle jest, the apt retort, the love and favor of the world, our unholy appetites and passions, as though they were not among the conditions of salvation. These enemies to grace must be met and conquered, or they will conquer us. How reluctant we set to the work of overcoming. Sloth says, "I know you must be pure in heart; but there will be time for you when the loud cry is given, and the church starts." This is one of Satan's delusions. Our time to awake is now. Our rest is not here. Our foe is vigilant. We are to keep our hearts, after all enmity is slain or rooted out, that it may not return and take root again. Paul could die daily—so must we. He counted all things loss that he might win Christ—so must we. We must pay the price. God knows if we have done it cheerfully, or grudgingly. If grudgingly—the yoke of Christ will never cease to be a galling yoke. If cheerfully, the yoke will be easy and the burden light.

DO NOT SKIP THE HARD WORDS.

No, stop and study them until they become easy. How often we are reminded in our own experience of the young student who so much dreads the hard words, close application, intricate problems, &c. They are so difficult. Oh, if they were only easy! We all like the easy part of everything. How unlike Jesus. He chose the suffering part, and so shall we when we are like him. How slow we are to learn that these trials do much for us. They are to the Christian what the intricate sciences are to the student. They discipline, refine, and form the Christian. He can no more be a perfect Christian who shrinks from them, than he who avoids the labor of study can be a thorough scholar. These difficult places will not always last. By patience and perseverance they will become easy. We should analyze every step, prove our work as we go. Each trial prepares us for the next, which would have proved too much for us had we neglected the preceding one. These close places, these drills, have a purpose. None may escape. The way to the city is strait. We must imitate the spotless life of Jesus, and his patient suffering. He needed not these sufferings to form a perfect character, but he knew we should, and he submitted to it to give us an example of patient suffering. If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. A. P. LAWTON. West Winfield, N. Y.