p. 380 | DR. BOND'S VISION by J. H. W.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 2, 1868

DR. BOND'S VISION.

By J. H. W.

Among the consequences resulting from the predicted outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days, it was declared that “your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” And though this scripture seems almost abandoned to the mercy of enthusiasts and fanatics, yet the numerous “visions and revelations of the Lord,” recorded in the books of the New Testament, as well as in the annals of the church of Christ in all ages, afford sufficient and convincing evidence that this word of the Lord was never spoken in vain, but has received, and may be yet receiving, an abundant fulfillment; and that, not among the fanatical and extravagant and half-crazed followers of new notions and strange doctrines, but among those whose piety, sobriety, intelligence, and usefulness, mark them

as chosen vessels to bear the words of Christ to the perishing sons of men.

While infidelity has been struggling for years to mock each trace of supernatural power away from the church of God, and, taking advantage of the unbelieving cowardice of formalists and skeptics, has caused Christians to hide the knowledge of such facts as this in their own hearts; and while fanatics have brought God's work into disrepute by extravagant pretensions and unfounded claims; and while Satan, having driven the church to cringing silence and the world to blind and unreasoning incredulity regarding all supernatural powers and spiritual blessings, has taken advantage of this to pour upon an unreasoning multitude the signs and lying wonders wrought by seducing spirits, whose aim and purpose is to deceive, if it were possible, the very elect, and persuade the people that there is no divine power but that which comes through their profane witchcrafts and devilish incantations,—we rejoice that God gives us grace to lift up a standard for the people in the midst of a flood of scoffing unbelief, and testify and prove by credible witnesses and by numerous facts the presence and the might of the Holy Ghost in the church, yet working by mighty signs and wonders to convict the sinner, to comfort the saint, to save the perishing, and to glorify the Lord.

And we are glad that from day to day fresh evidences and facts are brought to our knowledge, which show that there is yet a God in Israel, whose might and power are manifested in the experiences of his humble, trusting ones; and that the Lord's arm is not shortened that he cannot save, nor his ear heavy that he cannot hear.

But while we recognize these facts, we also see in the wreck and ruin that has marked the paths of those whose pretensions to spiritual gifts and powers have been loud and boastful, a most solemn warning to the humble children of the Lord to 'believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.'

The prince of the power of the air seems to be marshaling his unclean legions for the final fray; and, if he can persuade men to accept all spiritual pretensions, and so receive the “strong delusions” and “lying wonders” of the devil, or else discard all supernatural experiences, and so reject the mighty working of the Holy Ghost;—in either case he succeeds in his purpose of deception and destruction. But if any man do God's will 'he shall know of the doctrine,' and a loving obedience and strict adherence to the written word of God with a proper apprehension of the character of the “perilous times” in which we live in these last days, will prove a safeguard against fanaticism on the one hand and formality on the other, and thus “the shield of faith” shall “quench all the fiery darts of the adversary.”

The above we copy from The Christian, by H. L. Hastings. Eld. Hastings has always opposed the no-spirit theory so prevalent in these times of peril. That unscriptural idea, first extensively proclaimed by those who call themselves “Reformers,” of the school of Alexander Campbell, has been adopted by certain bodies of Adventists, “by reason of whom, the way of truth” has been “evil spoken of.” God ordained and provided that in the gospel of his Son, his Holy Spirit should be the great agent to carry on the work of enlightenment, of sanctification, and salvation; and we have ever found that where the direct influence of the Spirit was denied, there was a lack of spirituality in worship, a lack of the power of godliness; there was confusion and every evil work. We are pleased to see Eld. H. so consistently contending for the fulness of the great gospel blessing in the perpetuity of spiritual gifts. And while we rejoice in that blessing which is uniting us in faith as a people (see Eph. iv), which inculcates a “strict adherence to the word of God,” and more than all things else, preserves in us “a proper apprehension of the character of the perilous times in which we live,” and which has so far proved a perfect “safeguard against fanaticism on the one hand, and formality on the other,” we would not boast nor exalt ourselves therefor, but humble ourselves before the gracious Giver with thankful hearts. But we dare not defer to the “unbelieving cowardice of formalists and skeptics,” and “hide the knowledge of such facts in our hearts,” while the plagues of God's wrath are impending, and the world is blindly rushing on to ruin. Our prayer is that we may be faithful to the trust committed to us, and live to the praise of our crucified Lord, and not to self. “Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.”

The vision of Dr. Bond, to which the remarks quoted above refer, will be found in the work entitled, Miraculous Powers, pp. 79–81. J. H. W.