The Third Angel’s Message
By John Kemp
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS:—I have received comfort in hearing from you through the Review and Herald, and I feel it a duty and a privilege to say a word to you all. We are now in the time of peril; our past and present experience, with the word of God, show it plain. Let us not forget where we are. "Here is the patience of the saints." The article with this heading, in No. 6 of the Review and Herald, expresses my mind. The third angel's message is sounding loud, and will continue to sound louder and louder, praise the Lord. The evidences that we are right, in the main, never were so clear as now. "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Prov. iv, 18. About two years since, I was very much dissatisfied with our position; at length I came to this solemn conclusion, that I could move no farther. I tried to look forward, all was dark. I looked back about thirty years, and came up to 1843 and 1844. I was sure those moves were according to the word of the Lord; hence it was the work of God. (And it is God through Jesus Christ that has brought me through all my trials, for nothing but an Almighty hand could.) In this time of reflection, I said to some of my brethren, and my family also, that we should have something new, that the Lord would send something fresh. The life and death question ceased to satisfy me. In this time of dearth, the Lord sent Brn. Bowles and Rhodes, whom I was glad to see, but looked upon them with some fear, but God knew what I needed. It was just in the right time and place. They labored faithfully the time they staid with us. I confessed the message before they left, as far as I understood it. But when I examined minutely the third angel's message, it was meat in due season. When I saw the force of the fourth commandment, great light burst in upon my mind. The Sabbath was truly a delight. The third message shows its design. It is drawing the line here very rapidly. The closing scenes are right upon us.—The armies of the enemy are raging. Our trials here are severe. We live in a large community of professed Christians, who have had the first two messages and are having the third in a weak manner. There are but three of us in the present truth in this place. About midnight, July 23d, a band of about fifteen or twenty surrounded the house of the widow and fatherless, and commenced pelting with stones, &c., and threatened if we did not leave the country before the next Friday night, they would pull the house down, and tarr and feather every one of us.—I live about forty rods from them. A girl about nine years old, ran for me. When I arrived, or was about four rods from them, one was tearing off the gable-end of the house. As soon as they heard my voice they all fled. Gird on your armor my brethren and sisters. One can chase a thousand. Yes, the wicked flee when no one pursueth. Instead of harming us it has done us good. All things work together for good to those that do his commandments. I never felt so strong in faith, such unshaken confidence in God as now. Let every thing that has breath, praise the Lord. JOHN KEMP.
Jackson, Steuben Co., Ind., Aug. 4th, 1852.