The Work of Grace

Publishing Committee · Saratoga Springs, N. Y. · Feb 17, 1852

The Work of Grace.

The present work of grace that is now progressing among those who observe the Sabbath according to the commandment is no small evidence that we have the truth. We believe that it is the design of Heaven that the Sabbath should be especially proclaimed now, in the time of the patience of the saints; and God is setting his seal to this work.

Hundreds can testify that the message of the third angel has been the means of reclaiming them from a lukewarm backslidden state. In many families, where the family altar had been broken down, and no morning and evening prayers had been heard for some years, now the whole family join in the worship of God. Where the parents embrace the Sabbath, the children generally seek the Lord. Within the last two years we have baptized quite a number of the children of believing parents.

It is worthy of notice that the Ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and he and all his house was blest of God. See 2 Samuel vi, 11. When the parents observe the fourth commandment, with the other nine, it seems like taking the Ark of the Lord into their houses, and the blessing of God is sure to follow.

There are some with us who formerly run into the deceptive fogg of spiritualism, and gave up the literal Jesus, and made his glorious appearing only spiritual. It is evident that they never would have been delivered from that snare of the devil, had they not heard our views of present truth. Nothing can be so well calculated to dispel the mischievous mists of spiritualism, as the clear, literal view of the Heavenly Sanctuary.

Many of the dear Advent brethren have felt much like the followers of Jesus who said, "they have taken away the Lord," "and we know not where they have laid him." But the present truth has found him, to the joy of their hearts. We have witnessed the flowing tears of some such, as the literal Sanctuary in heaven has been pointed out, and the literal Jesus shown to be standing before the mercy-seat (that is over the Ark of the ten commandments) still pleading his blood for the errors of his people. And we have heard them express great joy that they had found Jesus. In a number of such cases where prayer had been nearly or entirely dispensed with for four or five years, now the family altar is erected and the whole family join in vocal prayer. A man must have a heart hard like adamant, and as cold as the rocks in the bottom of the ocean, not to be affected by such a work of divine grace, or that can call it falling from grace.

This blessed cause is destined to triumph gloriously. All the opposition of those who oppose will only help in its advancement. If the people of God are humble and obedient, God will work for them mightily.