Extract of a Letter from Bro. N. W. Rockwell.
By N. W. Rockwell
DEAR BRO. WHITE: "Although we never saw each other, yet I trust that we are brought near by the bonds of unity in the glorious gospel of the Son of God. My soul is full of love and hope. I do hope to see you, and all the dear brethren and sisters, after our Lord comes and calls the sleeping saints from the cold embrace of death, and clothes them with immortality and eternal life, and changes the living saints in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. Oh, glorious hope that the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, shall also quicken our mortal bodies, and fashion them like unto his most glorious body. It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he who is our life shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. "The hope of an endless life in the presence of God and the Lamb, and among the just made perfect is blessed indeed.—But he that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself. Now are we to do this, but by faith and unfeigned love of the truth, walking in all his commandments blameless? I pray that we may be sanctified through the truth, his word is truth, and sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption. But we cannot expect to be sanctified or sealed in disobedience to his will, or in the neglect of any of his commandments. We know that the commandments are holy, just and good. "But it is surprising how some who profess to be looking for and loving the appearing of our Lord, not only neglect, but fight against the keeping of the Sabbath. Now I do very much fear that it is for want of the love of the truth. An honest soul, that is willing and anxious to know and do the will of his Master, will not long confer with flesh and blood, in consulting with his interest, friends or ease, but will sacrifice all for the love of his Master and the truth. Pardon my frank-ness in speaking thus freely. Some will appear to be willing to hear, and try to search for truth; others will fight against it, and when they fail in argument and inferences which they try to bring up to justify themselves in the error, will fly to slander and contempt, and name some one that they have heard of that keeps, or pretends to keep the seventh day, and ever come short in other matters. This will be a poor prop, or excuse for them in the great day of God's wrath, when those only, whose names are found written in the book shall be delivered. "I feel greatly blest and strengthened in trying to keep the commandments. Our Saviour says, 'Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life,' &c. Here our Lord has referred us to the ten commandments of the Father—the immutable law of God. "It is a pleasure, and I hope a profit, to have the Review and Herald. I hope you will send it to me, and I hope to be able and willing to do my duty in sustaining you. "I am very lonely, there being no one within twenty miles, with whom I can associate, that keeps the Sabbath. O, how glad I was to have Bro. Holt and Edson look after, and find a poor, unworthy sheep, in the wilderness, and feed me a portion of meat. I shall, in all probability, have to travel more than forty days on the strength of that meat, before I shall be again fed in the same way. But thanks to my Master, he feeds me himself, when no shepherd finds me, in my quiet retreat. "Pray for me, that my faith fail not."
Farnham, C. E., July, 11th, 1852. N. W. ROCKWELL.