True Witnesses by F. M. W.; W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jul 1, 1915

True Witnesses

By F. M. W.; W. A. S.

A TRUE witness testifies only to that which he knows to be true. He does not depend upon hearsay or rumor, but rather upon that which he has seen with his own eyes or heard with his own ears. In the same manner true witnesses for the gospel truth must testify. It is not enough for them to know of the power of the gospel in a historical way, it is not enough for them to know what it will do for others; they must be able to testify what the gospel has done for them as individuals. It is this individual experience which has given power to the gospel message in every age.

The apostle John declares “that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life, . . . that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you.” What could withstand such a testimony as this? It was the testimony of actual experience, more powerful than any philosophical reasoning which could be made regarding the Messiahship of our Lord.

This actual individual experience in God is the only anchor of the soul. It was the strength of the patriarch Job in his afflictions. Bereft of his children, robbed of his property, deserted by his friends, counseled by his wife to curse God and die, still he held firm. “I know that my Redeemer liveth,” was his declaration. This personal knowledge of God kept Job loyal in the hour of darkness. It was this personal experience which held Elijah firm and steady during the period of apostasy in which he lived. Believing that all Israel had forsaken God, not knowing that there were still seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal nor kissed his image, Elijah purposed to stand, although, as he expressed it, “I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” It was this personal experience in God which enabled the man who was born blind to maintain his faith in the Lord Jesus, even though he could not meet the arguments brought forward by the Jews against Christ, the Messiah. He declared in answer to their charge that Christ was a sinner: “Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” The cold, philosophical reasoning of the Jews he could not meet in argument, but they could not turn him from his personal experience in Christ. He knew that God had spoken to his soul. He knew that his darkness had passed away, and that he was enabled to see.

We need this personal experience in God to enable us to stand in the evil days before us. We cannot trust to any theory of the truth for anchorage. We cannot stay our souls upon theological discussions, upon speculation, upon mathematical calculations. Nor will the fact that we know that the Bible teaches that the seventh day is the Sabbath, nor the recognition of the signs that the coming of the Lord is near, keep us from falling in the days before us. It is right for us to rejoice in the truth which God has revealed to us through his Word. We must take that Word as the foundation of our faith. We must stay our souls upon its promises. But, O, let us realize this, that beyond any theory of the truth, that deeper than any argument regarding the truthfulness of our positions, we must bring Christ into our souls and enthrone him within! We must become acquainted with him as the dearest friend and companion in all the universe of God. We must know that our sins are forgiven, that our names are written in heaven, that the Spirit of God is ruling and directing our daily lives. This is the only experience which will save us, which will hold us, in the times of trial that are ahead.

Let us pray that we may obtain this living experience in God. Some are without it, and those who are without it are in grave danger,—danger that they will drift away from their formal connection with this movement, and be swallowed up by the great flood of evil which is sweeping upon the world. The great need of the Seventh-day Adventist Church today is a greater knowledge of the Word of God, an appreciation of its promises, and the application in their own hearts of the blood of Christ in a living, daily experience in him. In proportion as this experience is gained will the power of God attend the testimony which is borne.

F. M. W.

They Are Praying for You

SEVENTY of us were meeting in one of the round mud huts in the Kafir kraal by the Fish River, where we have an outschool. It is surprising how much space there is in those round huts, with the one narrow door and the two tiny windows.

The meeting was to be closed, and Brother Jeffrey, superintendent of our Kafir mission, called on Picoli, headman of a neighboring kraal, to offer the closing prayer.

Less than three years ago Picoli was a Red Kafir—one of the raw heathen in blankets smeared with the red clay. The truth has laid hold of this man sixty years old, and today he is a dignified and devoted Seventh-day Adventist.

As we knelt there on the earth floor, Brother Picoli poured out his heart in earnest prayer. It was plain that he knew the Lord, and that prayer was a natural expression of his heart’s experience in this new life that had come to him. The only word I could understand was the word America, which occurred several times in his petition.

“In what way was Picoli using the word America?” I asked the brethren afterwards.

“He was praying for the brethren and sisters in America,” they said; “he was thanking God

for what they had done to help send the gospel to the Kafirs, and his prayer was that God would bless them for it.”

They are praying for you, brethren. It looks ordinary and commonplace to write the words; but down in these mud huts, with the raw heathen all about in the kraal, it touches the heart to hear these prayers for the far-away brethren, rising to God’s throne from lips that so recently learned to praise him for his loving grace.

They are thanking God for the help you are giving, brethren, and they are praying for you in Kafirland.

W. A. S.

Kafirland.