Extracts from Letters

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 3, 1858

Extracts from Letters.

Sister M. M. Osgood writes from Bronte, C. W.: "About nine years since, I spent a day at one of the public houses in Battle Creek, as I was on my way to visit my parents who reside in Ionia Co. It was then a place of no particular interest to me, but now methinks it would be.

"I have ever loved the prayer and conference meeting whenever the Spirit of God seemed to preside; yet none of these meetings have been among those who look for a soon coming Saviour. To meet with them, and hear them talk about the good news of the kingdom, to tell how our Father has heard and answered the prayer of faith—O, this would be a feast indeed. O, what a cheering thought that God will listen to, and answer the petitions of the feeblest of his little ones. Yes, our God is a prayer-hearing, and a prayer-answering God. That God who once answered by fire at the request of Elijah, is not a God afar off, on a journey, nor is he deaf, for he hears prayer, even before it is uttered, sometimes; and more than this, he never sleeps. His eye is ever upon us, directing our steps, (that is, if we are trying to follow Christ.) His ear is ever open to our cry. Let us ask, then; ask great blessings, and receive great, that our joy may be full. Let us bring all the tithes into the storehouse, and see if God will not open heaven's windows, and pour down (not drop down) a blessing so great that we shall not be prepared or able to receive it.

"O brethren and sisters, I have a strong desire to meet the saints in a conference which shall far surpass any ever enjoyed here, a conference where

"The saints of all ages in harmony meet, Their Saviour and brethren transported to greet. There they can talk of all the way the Lord has led them from infancy to the pearly gates. But can we confidently look up and say, 'We'll be there, we'll be there in a little while?' O, the path that leads to the city is a narrow path, and the city is up, yes, high lifted up. We cannot leisurely walk, or lazily ride, nor madly leap, nor unconsciously slide, into heaven. There is no way but to climb. But we may not climb up on the ladder of ancestral piety, nor on the pyramid of great professions, nor the steps of worldly fame, or high sounding titles. Let us be ever so high, we must come very low before we can enter the path; for there is a low gate at the commencement, and similar gates are found at little intervals quite across the path, and all along the way. The camel, to go through the needle's eye, had to kneel instead of being lifted up, and then had to force himself through. And more, he must cast off all his burden; however desirable or precious, it must be laid down to secure access. The christian cannot get through while burdened with houses, farms, or piles of gold. If between the gates he accumulates a little, it must all be left at God's disposal outside each gate; for if he could take it through, he would find it a burden all the way. When kneeling he presses through, he finds just before him the steps of faith; relieved of his burden he mounts them with alacrity. The steps ascended, he finds the path to the next gate a gradual ascent, and if he does not drop a little here and there of what he accumulates on the way to the next gate, before he reaches it, the burden will hang heavily upon him, if it does not cause him to leave the path, and seek a level or descending one."