The Truth for the Time Believed.
By R. F. Cottrell
WHEN I embraced the third angel's message, as taught by Seventh-day Adventists, as the special truth of God's word for the present time, I received it, because I believed it. I did not accept of it till I could say from my heart, This is the work of the Lord, in fulfillment of those divine warnings for the closing up of the gospel age, as shown in vision to the beloved disciple eighteen hundred years ago. I thank God to-day, that benighted and dull as I then was, and still am, in great degree, he gave me strength of faith to make this decision, and also that to this day I have never swerved from it. This faith has been the cable which has held my bark when storms have risen and the waves run high. And I reasoned thus: If this is the fulfillment of the predicted messages, God's hand is in the work in a special manner, and if this is so, it cannot fail of a complete, harmonious, and triumphant fulfillment. That men could not stop it, or derange it in its progress; and that those who went with this work to its close would be the ones God would honor with translation, at the appearing of the Son of Man at its close. And when murmurs began to arise, and the spirit of rebellion was manifested, my mind was directed to 1 Cor. 10, where Paul plainly tells us that those judgments which fell upon the children of Israel in the wilderness, all “happened unto them for ensamples; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” I reasoned that when God designs to do a special work, like leading his people from Egypt to Canaan, or preparing his people for the second advent of the Saviour, he knows how to begin the work and what agencies to choose, and though men may fail, nothing can thwart his purpose and its harmonious accomplishment. If an Aaron falls and dies, his priestly garments will first be put upon Eleazar, Num. 20:23–28, or if a Moses comes short and is to die in the land of Moab, he will first lay his hand upon Joshua in the presence of the congregation and constitute him their future leader, Num. 27:12, 23, and the work will move on harmoniously, in fulfillment of the design of Him whose one guiding mind is its author and finisher, while murmurers, schismatics, and factionists, will be left behind, if they do not suddenly perish as public examples, like Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Men in eminent positions, whether placed there by God or the people, are almost sure to be aspersed, calumniated, scandalized. I would not be president of the United States for the world, if half the stories which would be told of me while in nomination, or even after coming into office, were to be true. From my youth, I had been taught the Bible doctrine of spiritual gifts; that they were not limited to the apostles and primitive church; and that there was no reason for their cessation, but apostasy and unbelief. Yet I did not immediately give credence to the gift that, as I was informed, had accompanied the message from the very beginning. But while I doubted, I found myself in a logical difficulty. From the study of God's word and its obvious fulfillment I had come to the conclusion that the message was the word and work of God; and will he permit a deception of Satan to go in company with, and at the very head of, his work? But unbelief can withstand almost any amount of logic. But this I said to myself: It is safe to heed these testimonies, as long as they teach in accordance with the pure doctrines of the Bible; and if this is an interloper, that as a cumbrous load has attached itself to the work divine, God is able to shake it off. But instead of this, what did I see? The unmistakable evidence that the life of the feeble instrument was precious in the sight of God, being remarkably, marvelously, if not miraculously, preserved from numerous shocks of paralysis and other diseases that menaced life. So life has been prolonged, increasing health been given, as evinced in the astonishing amount of labor performed by the once feeble and fainting invalid. God does not miss in his work. He has his designs, which are for the salvation of those who will believe and be saved, and those designs he is able to carry out. But if I were asked what is my strongest evidence of the heavenly origin of these testimonies, I should say, The internal evidence of the holy and heavenly character of their teachings. And to this I might add, The living exemplification of those teachings as exhibited in the life of the medium of communication. Then might come in the moral effects upon the lives of those who believe them. I reject spiritism, because of its antagonism with the word of God in its high and holy teachings, and because of the open, brazen-faced immoralities of many of its mediums and believers. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” “If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” The reverse then is true: If they do speak according to this word, there is light in them. Brethren, we are a highly privileged people; because we are taught of God as no other people are. I have considered well what I am about to say, and I venture the assertion, that in regard to plain, pointed, practical, pure, and elevated teaching, these testimonies are unequaled by the writings of any person now living. These are what we should expect would be the characteristics of the word of the Lord to this generation. According to our light is our responsibility. Do we realize it? Then let us be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving our own souls. When the Lord speaks, let us hear and remember and do.
R. F. COTTRELL.