A Testimony of Adventist Faith
By Ezra Odell
BRO. WHITE: As I have been so many times interested and instructed through the letter department of the Review, by our brethren and sisters rehearsing their experience in the present truth, I feel that the passage, "Go thou, and do likewise," applies to myself. It will be five years next June since I heard the third angel's message. It was truly a light in darkness, for when I went back on my experience thirty-five years, I could call to mind the church all radiant with light and life, compared with 1861, when I heard the message. I felt burdened, and sorrowing would say, "where art thou?" not knowing Babylon had fallen. But when Brn. Bostwick, Allen, Lasher, and J. N. Andrews, preached the three messages, the keeping of the commandments, and the testimony of Jesus, it appeared to me that the ancient pillar of cloud and fire had come again to light Israel on their way. I saw the Sabbath, that it was the seventh day, and that death was the opposite of life, and that eternal death was that from which there was no redemption, and it harmonized the Scriptures. I find it a light that shines more and more, showing us our imperfections, and that perfection which should characterize God's people. It showed me the filth of the flesh was a sin, as much as that of the spirit. I saw that I was polluted from the crown of my head to the sole of my foot, and that I was spiritually dead, or dying a suicidal death, for the transgression of natural laws. To illustrate: Suppose you had seen a ghost possessed with spirits, say tea, coffee, and tobacco; then you have my case. I found more room for reform than when first I became a follower of Christ. 1 Cor. iii, 17 spoke to my condemnation. "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy." Now I had both seen and acknowledged the truth, and resolved to obey. Then came the test, to leave those idols; for I saw them as such, and still I thought my life was dependent on tobacco; for it was ordered by a physician after he had resorted to all other means, and after it had effected a cure as I supposed, I quitted it; but after three weeks' time my complaint, which was pain in the breast, returned. I then repeated and discontinued the use of it three times—the use of it always removed the pain, while the discontinuance was the opposite. Then came the question of Paul, "shall I continue in sin that grace may abound?" the answer of which was, "God forbid!" I then came to the conclusion that to continue the use of tobacco was seeking to save my life, and that in so doing I should lose it, and that a more wise conclusion would be to lose my life for Christ's sake, that I might find it. I then laid up my tobacco, and submitted my case to the Lord, and have found his grace according to my day, for which I feel to rejoice. For when the above-named spirits had been cast out, I felt the need of a keeper, which the Spirit supplied. I then let nature fall back to her own resources—cold water for drink, and a vegetable, grain, and fruit diet. Nature, through the observance of the laws of health, and the blessing of God has arisen to more than her wonted strength, and now I am happy that I can say from the heart, Farewell ye flesh-pots of Egypt, and also ye tea and coffee pots of this generation; for there is balm in Gilead, and a physician there, and the word is more than meat. Brethren and sisters, be admonished by the apostle, "Touch not, taste not, handle not," those things that defile the temple of God. Remember the first sin was eating, and it has been perpetuated by a perverted appetite, and now may the Lord sanctify his people through the truth, and make them an "eternal excellence," is my prayer.
EZRA ODELL.
Oronoco, Minn.