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Conference Department

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 26, 1867

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 29, No. 16.

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Conference Department.

By Simon Patten

Exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching. Heb. x, 25.
This Department is designed to fill the same place in the paper that the Conference or Social Meeting does in the worship of God. Speak often one to another to comfort, edify and aid each other in the way of holiness and true Christian experience.

From Bro. Patten.

BRETHREN AND SISTERS: Are we asleep? Do we realize the danger of inaction in the cause of God as we should? A while since I had the privilege of hearing a discourse in regard to the times in which we live. It was meat in due season to me, and as I heard these questions, they led me to look at my heart and see how it was with me. And as questions like the following, “Do we feel any less the dreadfulness of the seven last plagues than we did when we first saw light on that subject? Has the truth lost any of its vividness? Do we have any inclination to put off the coming of the Lord?” were asked, I felt that my condition was not what it ought to be. And the conclusion followed, “If such is the case we are asleep.” I saw then that I had been too nearly asleep, that the world had taken too much of my attention. I thought of a closet neglected, for trifles as it were, and of the consequences that had followed. Evil besetments had shown themselves, my love for the truth had grown less ardent. But such reflections served to arouse me to a renewed diligence in the work of overcoming. And to-day I can report some progress. The Lord has helped me. He has shown himself faithful to his promises. God does not leave his people unless they first leave him. And he is still more gracious, he has promised, “Return unto me and I will return unto you and heal all your backslidings.” We can partake full and free salvation, if we will. Says Jesus, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” When the spirit of the Lord sets truth home to our hearts, and we see our wrongs, and turn from them in sincerity, how blessed to know that we have an invitation to come to Jesus! that he does take notice of us, though we are so unworthy! So it seemed to me; and as I meditate on the goodness of God in the past, when I have been so unfaithful to him, it fills my heart with love to him, and I am trying to prove my love by keeping his commandments. The truth looks very precious now, and in the strength of the Lord I will try to live it out in all its parts, stand every test, that I may be fitted for translation by the latter rain.
SIMON PATTEN. Germania, Wis.