Greatly Beloved by Roswell Fenner Cottrell

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jul 8, 1875

"Greatly Beloved."

By Roswell Fenner Cottrell

WHAT a testimony to be borne, fresh from Heaven by an angel of God, to a mortal man! What man so highly favored of God! Who would not covet such a testimony?

What was the prophet Daniel doing, when this dispatch was sent to him from glory?

He was not boasting of his own righteousness, telling how good he had been, how long he had lived free from sin. He was not glorying in the light and wisdom he had, and of being able to "dissolve doubts and make interpretations." He had had visions of God, but he did not boast. In his modesty he could say, "This secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living." He was careful to give all the glory to the God of Heaven.

But what was he doing, when this special dispatch came to him from Heaven? He was seeking the Lord by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth, and ashes. He was confessing his sin and the sin of his people. In his earnest and importunate supplication he was crying out: "O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hearken and do: defer not for thine own sake, O my God! for thy city and thy people are called by thy name."

If we would enjoy the favor of God, if we would be greatly beloved in Heaven, let us follow the example of the beloved prophet. R. F. COTTRELL.