p. 9 | I. D. VAN HORN by I. D. VAN HORN

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 23, 1868

I. D. VAN HORN

By I. D. VAN HORN

TESTIMONY NO. 15.

I HAVE given this Testimony a careful perusal, and can say, from the depths of my heart, that it has done me much good. I have tried to take all the counsel given therein to myself, and I hope to profit by it in the future. What I learned during Conference, and in the meetings for ministers the week following, and now by reading this Testimony, in regard to disinterested benevolence, has opened to my mind the third angel’s message and our work as a people, in a clearer light than I ever saw it before. I thank God for this light. It has done my soul good as I have tried to draw near to him. I feel in my heart to enter into this work with a new zeal and interest.

I must, however, acknowledge that, at times in the past, I have been too indifferent and unfeeling in regard to the eternal welfare of my fellow-men, which has caused leanness of soul to come upon me. But I am trying to come up to my place and be a worker in the cause of my Master. He is aiding me by his Spirit, and I am gaining the victory. I already feel like a newly-converted man. I will praise the name of the Lord for his goodness and mercy to me.

But there is one thing more I want to say about reading this Testimony. While reading the epistles to particular individuals I had to struggle hard against a feeling to excuse myself that would come over me, that I had not done anything like these persons, and, therefore, none of this applied to me, but that it all belonged to the individuals to whom it was written. This I felt was wrong, and it caused me to examine myself more closely. I felt much relieved in doing so, for it brought upon me the blessing of God.

Dear brethren and sisters, if I understand the design in publishing these epistles, it is this, that we should all carefully examine ourselves while reading them, and, if we find anything in us which is in the least degree of a like nature, we should consider the testimony as strong a reproof to us as to the individual to whom it was first written, and we should act accordingly.

Oh! that we might begin to walk carefully before the Lord,—that we might always be on our guard, watching every action, and every motive of the heart, to see if it be in perfect harmony with the character and life of our divine Pattern. It will not do for us to become careless now. Every one who wishes to go through to the heavenly City, must lay self aside and make every effort in their power to imitate the life of Jesus. We have no time to lose to get ready for our coming Lord. He is helping us to see ourselves in the true light, and to understand our faults by these testimonies. Let us heed his counsel, get rid of everything offensive in his sight, that we may be gathered with the remnant to Mount Zion.