Untitled article by Wm. Hill.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · September 17, 1867

From Bro. Hill.

By Wm. Hill.

BRO. SMITH: It seems strange for me to address as a brother in Christ, one whom I have never seen, and whose doctrine a short time ago I thought was anything but good and wholesome. I believed the Adventists were deluded, having no right conception of the way of life and salvation. But I rejoice it is not so now. I am thankful that the light of present truth has shone through the thick darkness of my spiritual understanding, obscured by the mists of modern orthodoxy and the traditions and commandments of men.

When the truth was first presented to my mind, I would not receive it, but fought against it with all my might, thinking in truth that I ought to do many things contrary to this doctrine. But as I kept on reading and thinking about these things, my eyes were opened, and I began to see things in a new light. My prejudices against the truth became weaker, and I became willing to follow wherever the word of truth might lead.

About this time, I had placed in my hands a copy of Spiritual Gifts, which I read with deep interest. As I read, it carried conviction to my mind. I felt sure that a book which breathed such a pure and holy spirit must come from a pure and holy source; for

an impure fountain cannot send forth pure water. I knew that Satan could transform himself into an angel of light, that he might more effectually work the ruin of souls; but he never comes as an angel of mercy and love to warn us of our danger and make plain the way of escape, to show us our sins and open to our view the iniquity of our own hearts, and to entreat of us to forsake all sin and come and wash in the fountain opened in the house of David for sin and uncleanness, that we may be pure and clean in the Lord's sight, and be ready for translation at his appearing and kingdom. Oh, no! that would be working against himself; and if Satan be divided against himself, how, then, shall his kingdom stand?

The more I read, and think, and pray, the more I am convinced of the truth, and am resolved by the grace of God to try to live it out. But no sooner had I attempted to put this resolution into practice than I learned from experience that “they who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” even from those who I thought were brethren in Christ. I was superintendent of the Sunday School in this place; but I was not long permitted to remain in this office after I became an Adventist. They did not wait to see whether I would teach Advent doctrine or not, but as the Jews of old stirred up the Gentiles and raised persecution against Paul and Silas, even so my brethren stirred up the world's people against me; and uniting their forces, they cast me out, and I went away thinking of the apostles when they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

The Adventists here I believe are striving to go onward with God's people. Our numbers are small, but we have now a Sabbath School and prayer-meeting every Sabbath day. Prejudices against us seem slowly to be giving way, and some manifest an interest in searching after truth; and we hope there will yet be a goodly number that will go with us to Mount Zion.

WM. HILL.

Faribault Co., Minn.