Standing Firm in the Truth
Dear brethren and sisters: I still love the truth of the third angel's message, and am trying to live it out, the Health Reform not excepted. It is now seven years since the light of the Sabbath came to us by Bro. Cornell, and although the tide of opposition has been great, yet the grace of God has been sufficient for us. Angels of God have witnessed the heartfelt anguish and the bitter tears that have been shed in consequence of the opposition of those who have rejected these truths which are to prepare us to meet our blessed Saviour in peace. We have often been led to ask, Why is it that men will reject so much light, refusing it themselves and leading others the downward road? We can do but little for them, save to commit them into the hands of Him who judges righteously. I stand alone in these truths, as my family connections are nearly all bound up in Presbyterianism, and think of me as a stray sheep whom every means should be used to reclaim. But my heart is pained to see them trampling upon the holy Sabbath. Oh that they could see and obey! Will you not pray for us that we may yet all be of one heart and mind? I have been deprived of the privilege of meeting with the church for some time, but my heart is with them and I long to engage with them in the worship of God. Oh that I may clearly understand duty and be able to do it at all times. Yours striving for the kingdom. E. D. CARMICHAEL.
Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Bro. F. Gould writes from Greenfield, N. H.: I have never had an opportunity of hearing preaching on the Sabbath question and three angels' messages, but I have been an attentive reader of the Review for two years. It has been as it were my meat and drink, from week to week. I love its teachings. I have also been reading and investigating the great truths set forth in the publications of the S. D. A. Publishing Association, and I do thank the Lord for the light he has caused to shine into the dark recesses of my heart through their instrumentality. They set forth the great truths of the Bible in so clear and forcible a manner that I am enabled to read and understand that blessed book in a very different light than formerly. I have the blessed privilege of meeting from Sabbath to Sabbath with those who are looking for the soon coming of Jesus. May God give us grace and strength to be faithful, and keep our hearts with all diligence until the coming of our Lord and Saviour. I mean to be an overcomer. Bro. G. W. Parker writes from Chicago, Ill. With the rest of the little band here, I am trying to have a closer walk with God. Oh what a responsibility rests upon us after we have once received these truths! I pray that our works here may come up to our knowledge of the great plan of salvation. I feel anxious to progress in this glorious warfare, by taking hold of the various reforms by which God is raising up a peculiar people. Though my cross is sometimes heavy, I feel that God requires me to come up and walk in the light of the Testimonies on reform. Bro. N. Blood writes from Reedsburg, Wis.: Of late there seems an unusual interest manifested among the scattered ones in this vicinity to return to our Father's house. One has come out from the world to keep the commandments of God, which is encouraging to us. There are I believe some honest souls here who would receive the truth if rightly laid before them. They are studying to see if these things are so. Cannot Bro. Sanborn, or some other messenger come over and help us? Our means are small but we will do all we can. A German staid with us over last Sabbath and went with us to the meeting. He was much interested, asked if we had any books in his language, and wished me to send for it. He appeared to have a sincere desire to know the truth. Sister L. A. Marsh writes from Jerome, Mich.: I feel greatly blessed in having the Review to read every week. The soul-stirring sermons, the spirited reports of the messengers of truth, and the hearty testimonies of the lonely ones all combine to make it a priceless sheet to me. What could we scattered ones do without it? It is all the preaching we ever had until Bro. Cornell was here last summer a few days, when we rejoiced to hear the truth from the lips of a living teacher. His stay was short, but we trust his labors were not in vain. We all felt encouraged to start anew for the kingdom of Heaven. We have prayer meetings at our house. Last Sabbath only three met with us besides our own family. None have given up. We all, by the grace of God, mean to overcome. There are about sixteen of us in all. We would like very much to be organized and taken under the watchcare of the Conference. Sister C. Webster writes from North Star, Mich.: Although it has been several months since I have had the privilege of meeting with the church even in a social capacity, I can say that I am not discouraged, neither do I feel inclined to think the way too strait for me to walk in. Our Saviour tells us that narrow is the way and straight is the gate that leads unto life, and few there be that find it. Yes, I fear there will be very few.
Iniquity abounds, and the love of many is waxing cold. Said an individual to me the other day, “Professors of religion in Toledo and other cities, dance, and have their card parties &c., and what harm is there in it?” I answered, “Do you not see that the world is converting the church instead of the church converting the world?” He was a believer in the world's conversion. We see the love of the world and the pride of life making sad inroads even among some who have been convinced of the truth of the third angel's message. Some place of amusement called innocent has had a charm for them, and I fear many have forfeited their hope of eternal life for a few hours of sinful pleasure. My heart aches as I think how many are trifling away their precious time. A few days only wherein to prepare for eternity! Let us all take home this solemn consideration! We cannot be too holy. Oh that our righteousness may not be as filthy rags in the day of our Lord's return. Earthly friends we cannot save. Our affections may cling to them, our flesh may waste away in consequence of our mental suffering on their account, but our prayers and tears may not affect them. God will never force them to yield to his authority, though all will be done that can be done consistently with their free will. They are capable of understanding the plan of salvation, therefore are without excuse. Yet our faith should not fail, or our prayers cease for them. We can commit them to an all-wise God and strive to press on ourselves through this world of sorrow. Sister R. L. Rogers writes from Watrousville, Mich.: I feel to praise my heavenly Father that he ever sent his messengers this way, and that I had a heart to receive the truth. Oh that more would obey, and come to the Lord while sweet mercy is extended. Since I have commenced keeping the commandments of God I enjoy myself better than I ever did before. The more I see of the wickedness that is abroad in the world, the more determined I feel by God's grace to be an overcomer. I want a home in the kingdom of God. Bro. L. S. Gregory writes from Lovett's Grove, Ohio: I can find no better way to live than when I rise in the morning to ask my heavenly Father for his Holy Spirit to guide me. When I put on my clothes I ask to be clothed in Christ's righteousness. When I kindle a fire in my stove I ask God to kindle the fire of his love in my heart, and when I feed my horses and cattle I ask him to feed me the bread of life. When I water my stock I ask God to help me to drink of the well of salvation, that it may be in me a well of water springing up into everlasting life. When I harness my horses I ask to be harnessed for the race and equipped for the battles of life. When I plow my ground I ask God to break up the fallow ground of my heart; and when I sow my grain I ask him to sow in my heart the good seed of the kingdom. When I cultivate my crop I try to cultivate the good seed sown in my heart, that it may grow and bring forth fruit to the honor and glory of God.
Dear brethren and sisters, cheer up! the Lord will soon return, having received the kingdom and will gather his elect from the four quarters of the earth. Praise God for the light that shines on the pages of Inspiration. We are not left in the dark as to where we are in this world's history, for we can see prophecy fulfilling daily before our eyes. I rejoice while I write, and often has my heart been cheered by reading the letters from the scattered brethren and sisters who are trying to walk in the light of present truth. Let us be faithful, and live up to all the light as fast as it comes. Sister M. Gray writes from Fredericktown, Ohio: Oh! how thankful I am that I was spared to hear and embrace the third angel's message, while Bro. Lawrence and Van Horn were laboring here last summer. I met with much opposition from all around me except a few of like precious faith. But I must suffer persecution if I will be Christ's.
“Oh! it will be but little longer
I must these many woes endure.
Then let my faith and hope grow stronger,
My Father's promise still is sure.” Bro. A. Wattles Sen., writes from Troy, N. Y.: I am still numbered with the living in this dying world. I have been a disciple over fifty-five years, and for more than five years past a subject of great pain and severe affliction. I have not been able to walk a step for more than two years; yet, notwithstanding these afflictions, I feel that I have every possible reason to thank and praise my God. I learn in his word that they are to work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. I do humbly trust that it has been, and is, a very profitable school to me. Were my hand and fingers as they were forty or fifty years ago, I could fill a large sheet, while I can now only scribble a few lines, and that hardly legibly. I am now in my eighty-fourth year, but humbly trust that the time is not far distant, when I shall be permitted to put on immortality, and rejoice in the vigor of eternal youth, where decrepitude, sickness, sorrow or death shall never come. I am thankful that the light of divine truth is shining. I love the Review, and am pleased with its enlargement and its weekly tidings. I expect to peruse it with pleasure while I live. Sister E. R. Brigham writes from Mannsville, N. Y.: A little more than one year has passed since I received the truth, and I can say to-day that I am glad that I ever was led to come out from the world and embrace it. I feel to praise the Lord for the hope of the soon coming of our Saviour, although it will be through trials190and persecutions that we must be purified and made ready to meet him. I believe that I can by the grace of God endure them all, and at last come off conqueror through him who hath loved me. But amid all the trials and temptations of the Christian, there is a joy and peace which the world cannot give. I often feel the approving smile of my heavenly Father resting upon me, and with hope and faith I am looking to the end of the warfare, to the starry crown, to the immortal life, which are to be the final inheritance of the faithful. I am glad that all the saints are soon to be gathered home, and if we are faithful a little longer we shall meet with the dear ones that death has removed from our society here. Though we parted from them in tears we shall meet them with songs and everlasting joy. Bro. Wm. Harris writes from Port Byron, N. Y.: I see by the Review that a second enlargement is talked of. I hope it will be carried into effect. You may put me down for three dollars a year, and if that is not enough I will try to pay more. I find the paper almost doubly interesting in its present enlarged form. Sister E. Hemenway writes from Ludlow, Vt.: I feel somewhat the importance of giving diligence to obtain the common salvation; yet as I have such opportunities of reading God's word, and hearing his truth brought out in a pointed manner by his servants from time to time, also the Testimonies, and the light on the subject of the Health Reform, I am astonished that I make so little advancement in a divine life. Thankful for a few drops of mercy, I yet pant for full salvation. And as I know it is free, I often ask myself, Why this lack? The answer comes from God's word, “Break up your fallow ground.” “It is time to seek the Lord till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” The heart must be prepared for the reception of the truth in order that it may bear fruit. I have not so fully heeded the counsel of the true and faithful Witness as I should have done. Jesus has been pleading for me, the Lord has been digging about me by mercies and afflictions. I tremble, lest if I awake not to righteousness, I be cut down as a cumberer of the ground, rejected of the Lord as reprobate silver. May the Lord grant for his name and mercy's sake that this dust which has hitherto lived too much to the gratification of self, may be so thoroughly converted to the truth, and so sanctified through obedience to the same, that when Jesus comes it may receive immortality, and with all the redeemed be permitted to walk the golden streets of the New Jerusalem. Bro. E. G. Stevenson writes: I had a good visit with the little band in Chicago on Sabbath, Jan. 19. While waiting on the Lord at the house of sister Mills, we had the blessing of the Lord without measure. There was great freedom in our midst. Two more honest souls expressed their determination to keep all of God's commandments. One of them is a colored soldier. There are others at the soldier's home who manifest a great interest in hearing these truths, these blessed and sanctifying truths, which are well calculated to fit and prepare a people for translation. Bro. Parker is trying to do all that he can for the promotion and upbuilding of the cause in that place. Sister G. W. Pierce writes from Warsaw, Ind.: I can now sympathize with the lonely ones, as I have not met with any of like faith for nearly two years. O my dear friends, the time seems long. I think no one can love the assembly of the saints more than myself, but as I cannot see you face to face, let me say that God is my helper, and in him do I put my trust. I am trying to live out the Health Reform, and hope to be a true overcomer. But when I see the slow advance I make, I should get discouraged did I not remember that the race is not to the swift, neither the battle to the strong, but they that endure to the end, the same shall be saved. Lonely ones and pilgrims in this vale of tears, let us look up. Not long will our Lord delay. Oh! no. We have only time to finish our work and get ready to meet him with joy.