Saddest word: 'Almost'
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In Stand Ye in Holy Places, President Harold B. Lee wrote of having visited "back East," where a bishop made an interesting comment about what he called "the saddest words I know of a man in high station."
President Lee said the bishop read the account of Paul before King Agrippa. After Paul had borne powerful testimony of his conversion, King Agrippa replied, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." (Acts 26:28.)The bishop, wrote President Lee, said the king knew the truth but he lacked the courage to do that which would be required; and he could only say then, "Almost thou persuadest."
President Lee wrote: "And then
the bishopT characterized some things that he discovered in his own ward in a short but powerful sermon:
" `In response to the Master, "Come . . . follow me" (Mark 10:21), some members almost, but not quite, say, "thou persuadest me almost to be honest but I need extra help to pass a test."
" `Almost thou persuadest me to keep the Sabbath day holy, but it's fun to play ball on Sunday.
" `Almost thou persuadest me to love my neighbor, but he is a rascal; to be tolerant of others' views, but they are dead wrong; to be kind to sister, but she hit me first; to go home teaching, but it's too cold and damp outside tonight; to pay tithes and offerings, but we do need a new color TV set; . . . almost thou persuadest me to attend stake leadership meeting, but I know more than the leader on that subject, so why should I go? Thou persuadest me almost to go to sacrament meeting, but there is going to be such an uninteresting speaker. . . . Almost! Almost! Almost! but not quite, not able quite to reach.' "
