Experience as an Adventist.
By S. P. Bollman
The writer of this, a recent convert to Adventism, takes pleasure in giving his testimony to what he regards as an internal evidence of the truth of the doctrines of Seventh-day Adventists: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself." John 7: 17. Few persons have been more strongly prejudiced against the general mission of Adventists (namely to call God's people out from the so-called orthodox churches) than I was; and few have more persistently turned away from, or closed their eyes against the light of present truth than I did. Gradually, however, I began to read a little more candidly their publications, and finally concluded that if an opportunity offered I would attend a camp-meeting, and learn from actual observation, and participation in the services of an occasion of this kind, what there was in Adventism. Providentially, and sooner than I had anticipated, an opportunity offered, and "God who is rich in mercy," brought me to the California camp-meeting of September, 1884. From the very first, though still inclined to cavil, I found my prejudices giving way, and the light of truth breaking in upon my soul with a subduing power; objection after objection vanished before the earnest preaching of men who spoke God's truth with a plainness and simplicity calculated to "commend itself to every man's conscience in the sight of God," until I felt convinced beyond a doubt that this was the Lord's work and "marvelous in our eyes;" and to it I was constrained to give a hearty consent and acquiescence, asking for a name and a place amongst a people who I believe have inquired for and found the "old paths" spoken of by the prophet Jeremiah, chapter 6 : 16: "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." The Spirit of God seems to set his seal of approval, by his manifest presence, on services and ordinances as they are engaged in and observed by those who are thus looking for the second coming of Christ "without sin unto salvation." My experience is that the godly life to which the Adventist faith calls, is Bible truth, and produces peace, and gives rest to the soul, such as can be found nowhere else. Those espousing present truth hear the Spirit of God saying unto them, "This is the way, walk ye in it," even wisdom's ways, which are ways of pleasantness, and her paths, which are peace. Let it not be said that "Adventism has too narrow a platform, and too little charity." Her platform is as broad as the Bible, and her charity (love) as far-reaching as sinful man is found. Adventists believe God has a people, a part of whom are now to be found in all the churches—the honest-hearted, the conscientious, who want to know and obey the truth—and her call to all such is, Come out from the corruptions, the leanness of barren ordinances, the spiritual death, which, as a dark pall, has settled down upon the churches, thus indicating the parentage of the old denominations as descended from the spiritual Babylon referred to in Revelation 18: 3, 4. That many may hear this last call of mercy now sounding in these last days, and so hear that they may live forever, is the prayer of the writer, who looks for immortality and eternal life through Jesus Christ at his second coming.