August 18Prove all things; hold fast that which is good — 1 Thes. 5:21.
However much they should ever come to respect prophesyings, or public speaking, the Lord's people should learn proportionately not to receive what they might hear without proper examination and criticism. They should prove all things that they hear, should exercise discrimination of mind, as to what is logically and Scripturally supported, and what is mere conjecture and possibly sophistry. They should prove what they hear with a view to holding fast everything that stands the test of the Divine Word and shows itself to be in accordance with the holy Spirit; and they should as promptly reject whatever will not stand these tests—Z '03, 26 (R 3135). Satan has caused the doctrine of the Divine right of the clergy to prevail, claiming for them that they are the Divinely authorized mouthpieces, to whom the people are to render blank and unquestioning credence and obedience. Through this doctrine he has succeeded in deceiving almost the whole world. God does not desire His sons to be under the influence of a doctrine capable of such results. Therefore He bids them carefully to examine all things presented to them for acceptance, and to require that they be harmonious with themselves, Scriptural passages and doctrines, God's character, the Ransom, facts and God's purposes, and to adhere to things only which stand such thorough and reasonable tests—P '32, 112. Parallel passages: Ex. 23:7; Prov. 28:5; Jer. 29:8; Matt. 24:4; John 5:39; 1 Cor. 2:15; 14:29; Phil. 4:8; Heb. 10:23, 24; 2 Pet. 1:15-21; 1 John 4:1-3; Rev. 2:2. Hymns: 79, 22, 49, 296, 306, 311, 332. Poems of Dawn, 5: Great Truths. Tower Reading: Z '10, 297 (R 4684). Questions: Have I this week examined what was presented for my belief? How? Why? With what results? |
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GREAT TRUTHS
GREAT truths are dearly bought. The common truth,
Such as men give and take from day to day,
Comes in the common walk of easy life,
Blown by the careless wind across our way.
Great truths are dearly won; not found by chance,
Nor wafted on the breath of summer dream;
But grasped in the great struggle of the soul,
Hard buffeting with adverse wind and stream.
Sometimes, 'mid conflict, turmoil, fear and grief,
When the strong hand of God, put forth in might,
Ploughs up the subsoil of the stagnant heart,
It brings some buried truth-seeds to the light.
Not in the general mart, 'mid corn and wine;
Not in the merchandise of gold and gems;
Not in the world's gay hall of midnight mirth,
Nor 'mid the blaze of regal diadems;
Not in the general clash of human creeds,
Nor in the merchandise 'twixt church and world,
Is truth's fair treasure found, 'mongst tares and weeds;
Nor her fair banner in their midst unfurled.
Truth springs like harvest from the well-ploughed
fields,
Rewarding patient toil, and faith, and zeal.
To those thus seeking her, she ever yields
Her richest treasures for their lasting weal.
GREAT truths are dearly bought. The common truth,
Such as men give and take from day to day,
Comes in the common walk of easy life,
Blown by the careless wind across our way.
Great truths are dearly won; not found by chance,
Nor wafted on the breath of summer dream;
But grasped in the great struggle of the soul,
Hard buffeting with adverse wind and stream.
Sometimes, 'mid conflict, turmoil, fear and grief,
When the strong hand of God, put forth in might,
Ploughs up the subsoil of the stagnant heart,
It brings some buried truth-seeds to the light.
Not in the general mart, 'mid corn and wine;
Not in the merchandise of gold and gems;
Not in the world's gay hall of midnight mirth,
Nor 'mid the blaze of regal diadems;
Not in the general clash of human creeds,
Nor in the merchandise 'twixt church and world,
Is truth's fair treasure found, 'mongst tares and weeds;
Nor her fair banner in their midst unfurled.
Truth springs like harvest from the well-ploughed
fields,
Rewarding patient toil, and faith, and zeal.
To those thus seeking her, she ever yields
Her richest treasures for their lasting weal.
