Finding Truth in the Sabbath
By H. Myers
DEAR BRO. WHITE :—We feel very thankful that we, in this secluded place, were ever favored with the privilege of hearing the truth. We feel to adore and magnify the name of God the everlasting Father, and Jesus Christ, who brought salvation within the reach of so fallen, depraved and sinful worms as we are.—We feel to ascribe all the praise and glory unto him who hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel; that in these last, trying hours of deep anguish and distress of soul, whilst we are groping our way through thick darkness, grappling with the very fiends of darkness and death, they pretending to be the spirits of departed friends bringing intelligence from the spirit land, to instruct us in the truth of the future, that God had forgotten or neglected to have recorded in his holy Word. But thanks be to his name, his sure Word of prophecy, and the evidences found in the gospel of his dear Son, served as a barrier to our final overthrow. We have had some faith in the Advent doctrine, these ten years past; but we were here with some of the no-Sabbath, no-law brethren, with numerous other technicalities for doctrine and truth, in which if there was any light, it was out of sight; but we bless God we have had meat in due season. Some eight months ago the law and the Sabbath with us, were divorced; and all the Sabbath we had any clue to, was First-day, which we find to be spurious; but we feel to render many thanks to Bro. Phelps for his ardent zeal in our welfare, and for setting forth something of the sure Word of prophecy and showing us our true position in a fallen Babylon and our whereabouts in the world's history. By being willing and obedient to the Father of all mercies, we have peace like a river and joy that passeth all understanding. Within eight months, some seven families in this section have embraced the Sabbath, some fourteen adults, and are trying to keep the commandments.—But oh! how deplorable the condition of the many who are opposing God, their own interest and the truth. Some are halting between two opinions, convinced of the truth, but unwilling to obey the Lord, and give up their old notions of prejudice and error: self-will being so prominent that they cannot bear to have that man, Christ Jesus, to reign over them. We bless the Lord for the promised comforter, the Spirit of truth, that was to instruct us in all truth, and make us wise unto salvation and give us right to the tree of life. Beloved Brethren, whilst we are examining the declarations of God's truth, O may he enable us all to examine our own hearts more closely, and if we have broken off only some of the more prominent branches of sin and error, let us again examine ourselves, and pray God to give us wisdom and grace, in meekness and patience to search and research till we shall be enabled to eradicate every root of bitterness.—May God enable us to cleanse our hands and purify our hearts, by obeying the truth; not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work; for the promise is, that man shall be blessed in his deed. Yours in hope of the soon coming kingdom,
H. MYERS.
Hebron, Jeff. Co., Wis., Aug. 26th, 1853.