Experience by John Byington Frisbie

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 17, 1866

Experience.

By John Byington Frisbie

It is my experience that the world grows darker every day. The present truth is fast ripening the world for destruction, while it is a strong tower into which the righteous may enter and be safe. "The Devil is come down having great power, because he knows he has but a short time, and will deceive if possible the very elect." And those who do not love the truth will be delivered over to "strong delusions" to believe a lie that they might be damned. False reformations, carried on by mesmerism and Spiritualism, are well calculated to quiet the conscience and harden the people into the belief that there is no such thing as true conversion, as there is but little or no reform.

I may illustrate this by relating what a spirit medium told me some four years ago. He said that there was a Methodist protracted meeting in his neighborhood, and he attended. The preacher told him to give up his Spiritualism, which was of the Devil, and get out of the way of sinners. The spirit told the medium that they should not have a revival there and they might do their best; and if they did, to tell the preacher that he would renounce Spiritualism and unite with the Methodists. They continued their meetings about six weeks with the help, before he closed, of another preacher, but with no success. The idea came to me when he was telling this circumstance, can spirits stop a Methodist revival, or carry one on!

This took place in Kent county, town of Byron, Mich., medium Esquire Barton. I see the importance of believing and living out the plain truths of the Bible. In doing this there are great blessings. But to dwell on the dark side of any religious question, is to drink in darkness, which gives room for temptation and doubt. To live out that which is plain, is to live in the light of the Spirit. But to dwell on that which is dark, is to bring on darkness and death.

It is my experience, after receiving a large outpouring of the Spirit, and meeting with success in winning souls to Christ, that Satan most fiercely attacks to destroy the work. There are nothing but the plainest truths of the Bible, and these kept constantly before the mind, and the power of God's Spirit, and the assistance of holy angels, that can keep us from falling. We must have strong faith mixed with prayer. The will is of us, but the power is of God. Knowing this, oh how I fear and tremble! All lasting good is of God. Man is but the feeble instrument in the hand of God of any real success in saving men. How I mourn over my weakness after the best of my days are gone. How little have I accomplished. At the best, I have been a poor, unprofitable servant. "By their fruits ye shall know them." The present truth leads to honest devotion. The envious spirit of opposition to commandment-keepers, is the sad reverse. It is life and death, and more death than life. I will close this soliloquy by saying, As for me, I WILL serve the Lord, by the grace of God. I have been greatly blessed with his Spirit at late of times.

J. B. FRISBIE.