CONFIDENCE IN THE TRUTH.
By M. P. Stiles
“STABLISH your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” These words are addressed to those who live at the close of time. They seem to imply a necessity of becoming established, not only on all the truths of God’s word, but the particular truths for that particular time, and the evidences that God has chosen whom he will, to lead out in the last work to be done for a fallen people. When I look at the crooked paths made by some of those who claim to be ensamples to us, I am led to exclaim, And must we follow in their footsteps? shall we deny the Lord that bought us, by refusing to receive aid from those whom he has sent to aid us in our extremity? How expressive are the words to Aaron: “Make us gods to go before us; for, as for this Moses, we wot not what has become of him.” Oh! if they had established their hearts on the evidences the Lord had given them that he had chosen his servant Moses to lead them out of bondage, they would not have been so ready, as soon as he was out of sight, to worship idols. Dear brother or sister, who has this criticising or murmuring spirit toward our weary leaders, think how displeasing to God were the murmurings of the children of Israel, and try the spirit you are of, for many spirits have gone out into the world. I thank God that all there is of me is in perfect sympathy with this cause, and with those who are burdened with the care of it; and hereby I know that I love God, because I love these, his dear children, and it is my daily prayer that I may so closely follow the blessed Pattern that I may more nearly resemble them in love to God and to my neighbor. May God deliver me from the spirit of ancient Israel. Eternal life never looked so dear to me as now. The pathway never looked so bright to me in the distance. I never was so determined to obtain the gold that will abide the fire, and the white raiment, as now. I have all confidence that should God’s chosen servants err as did Moses, he will take care of them and his cause. Dear brethren in Christ, we are almost home. Let us remember that “every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”