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Led into the Truth

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 26, 1872

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 39, No. 15.

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Led into the Truth.

By Julia H. Woodruff

FOR many months, my prayer had been, in the language of the beautiful little hymn we often sung in the Sabbath School, “Lead me to Thee.” Often, in secret prayer, and in solitude, this petition would burst from my lips, “Lead me to Thee.” I attempted to quiet my soul, by saying, “I have been led to Thee.” I am a member of the church, and am trying to follow Christ (I was then a member of the Presbyterian church in Richland, Mich.). Still the earnest cry would well up from the depths of my troubled soul, “Lead me to Thee.”
Does the “Spirit help our infirmities,” making “intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered?” Does the Spirit really thus assist us in our ignorance, weakness, and peril? Or is this an ornate style of speech used by St. Paul for effect.
About this time I removed to Springport, Jackson Co., where some publications respecting the seventh-day Sabbath, and the speedy coming of our Saviour, fell into my hands. Conscience at once whispered, these are words of “truth and soberness.”
And here commenced the conflict. Apollyon mustered his minions. What! array myself in antagonism to nearly all Christendom? assume more wisdom than my much-esteemed pastor and Christian brethren? bring grief to dear friends, and reproach from all? I prayed, I agonizingly cried, “O Lord, is the way so very straight? Jesus’ words in Matt. 18 : 8, came unbidden to mind. At length I yielded to the overwhelming convictions of conscience, since which time my prayer, “Keep me in the narrow way,” has often been answered by the sweet text, “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench.”
Haply these lines may be read by some of those with whom I formerly walked in Christian converse, who were endeared to me by many expressions of affection and sympathy in domestic affliction. If so, permit me to entreat you to mistake not the simplicity of Bible truth. Search the Scriptures, to see if the seventh day be not the “Sabbath of the Lord thy God.”
To those who love the appearing of Jesus and the Sabbath of the Lord, who have been pioneers in proclaiming unpopular truth, I would say,
“In all my Lord’s appointed way, My journey I’ll pursue; Hinder me not, ye much-loved saints, For I would go with you.”
Yours in Christ,
JULIA H. WOODRUFF.
Jackson Co., Mich.