Christ Our Gracious High Priest
By T. M. Steward
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—I have great reason to praise the Lord, that I ever heard the truth of the third angel's message, and that God opened my heart to embrace it, notwithstanding by so doing I lose my most intimate friends. But thank God, if I have the Bible on my side, I am safe, for Christ is my friend. And now I can view him as my Gracious High Priest, ministering in the Sanctuary, and true Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. O if the world could only see the beauty of the present truth, how much more glorious would appear the plan of redemption. I can now say with the Psalmist: "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Thou, through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine enemies." "Through thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way."—Ps. cxix, 97, 98, 104. Also verses 141, 142. "I am small and despised, yet do not I forget thy precepts. Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth." Again in the 165 verse, "Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them." My delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law do I meditate day and night. Truly I was in darkness, yea enshrouded in thick darkness; lost in gloom, but when the light began to break in upon my mind, how changed! all seemed to bear a new luster. The truth shone forth with more brilliancy than ever before. Now I can see that "the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." I can now look forward to the time as not far distant when Christ will make his appearance in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, when the sleeping saints will be called forth to meet their Saviour in the air, and we who are alive will be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and be caught up with them to meet our Lord. I fear that there are many of our Advent brethren who are making too much of minor points, and forming tests of christian character that God's word will not warrant. Let us be very careful, my dear brethren, and make the sure word of Prophecy our only rule of faith and practice. I believe the time has come when all that is not of the Lord's planting will be rooted up, when all error shall be plucked up, to give place to truth. I say, let truth have its full sway; cut ever so close. And we know it will triumph.—The truth has done wonders out West within the past six months. Yes, bless the Lord, it will triumph.—O that God would send forth more laborers into the field. Time is short. The day of probation will soon close. O what a solemn time, when Christ our great High Priest, shall leave the Holiest, no more to intercede between God and man, and leave the guilty exposed to the wrath of God. T. M. STEWARD.