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the mercies of God, and laud and glorify His holy name, even when
we are passing through sorrow and affliction....
The Lord’s merciful kindness is great toward us. He will never
leave nor forsake those who trust in Him. If we would think and talk
less of our trials, and more of the mercy and goodness of God, we
would find ourselves raised above much of our gloom and perplexity.
My brethren and sisters, you who feel that you are entering upon a
dark path, and like the captives in Babylon must hang your harps
upon the willows, let us make trial of cheerful song. You may say,
How can I sing, with this dark prospect before me, with this burden
of sorrow and bereavement upon my soul? But have earthly sorrows
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deprived us of the all-powerful Friend we have in Jesus? Should not
the marvelous love of God in the gift of His dear Son be a theme of
continual rejoicing? When we bring our petitions to the throne of
grace, let us not forget to offer also anthems of thanksgiving. “Whoso
offereth praise glorifieth Me” (
Psalm 50:23
). As long as our Saviour
lives, we have cause for unceasing gratitude and praise.—
The Review
and Herald, November 1, 1881
.
The Glorious Resurrection Morning
A Message to Friends on Pitcairn Island
We were made very sad last Thursday to learn of your deep afflic-
tion. Our hearts are pained to hear of the deaths of those of our beloved
Brother [J. R.] McCoy’s family. Our sympathies go out to all who are
bereaved by this affliction. We extend our sympathy to the children
and members of the family who have been thus sorely bereaved, but
we would point you to Jesus as your only hope and consolation. The
dear companion of our afflicted Brother McCoy, and the mother of the
bereaved children whom she loved, is silent in death. But while we
weep with those that weep, we joy at heart because this loved mother
and daughter, and Brother Young, the elder of your church, and others
who may have been removed by death, believed in and loved Jesus.
Let the words of the apostle Paul comfort you: “I would not have
you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that
ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe
that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus
will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the