Untitled article by G. W. A.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, October 1, 1867.

TESTIMONY FOR THE CHURCH, NO. 12.

By G. W. A.

Dear brethren and sisters: Have you all supplied yourselves with a copy of this work? If so, you have done well; and if you have prayerfully made up your minds to obey its heavenly admonitions, you have done better. Every one should have this “testimony,” in order to live “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” While the enemies of God’s blessed truth taunt and revile, thus showing what kind of an animus they are of, let us cherish the light from Heaven, and like the faithful of old, meditate upon it when we rise up and when we sit down, that our profiting may appear to all. Great is the goodness of God in condescending to instruct his people in the manner that he does. For this let us reverently praise his ever-blessed name.

How the Devil hates this blessed gift which God has placed in the church. This alone should be a warning to those who are running riot in their mad opposition to the visions. Just think! A standing notice in the Voice of the West and the World’s Crisis has appeared weekly for months, advertising “The Visions of Ellen G. White not of God,” besides scores of flings and lies which appear in the Advent papers, that will be more particularly noticed in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, and when he will convince all of their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. See Jude 15. But let us “who are of the day” press forward, for nothing can be done against the truth; God will overrule all opposition to his glory and our good, and the wrath of man shall yet praise Him, and every stiff knee shall bow, and every slandering tongue confess.

The great regret among us as a people should be that we have not always obeyed as we should the precious light from Heaven. In this let us be admonished for the future, and strive to draw near to God that he may draw near to us. What kind of a people should we be without the aid of “spiritual gifts?” Just like the other Advent bodies—all rent with schisms and torn by discordant sentiments, each one believing and doing what seems right in his own eyes. In view of their unhappy condition, which we can but pity, let us praise God for the union and harmony there is with the remnant who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Nor should we overlook the one great cause of our spiritual prosperity. For this in some humble sense we may say with Moses of old, “What nation hath God so nigh?”

Dear brethren and sisters, everywhere, let us stand complete in all God’s blessed will, placing a high estimate upon the instrumentalities which he has been pleased to ordain in the church for the good of the body; and when all God’s persecuted, truth-loving, law-keeping children come up to the “general assembly,” may reader and writer be there.

Let all procure, read, and obey, Testimony No. 12.

G. W. A.