DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS:—I take my pen to say that I am still striving to keep all the commands of my heavenly Father. I do not expect to be exempt from trials, if I belong to the household of God; for he has said "it is through much tribulation we enter the kingdom of heaven." I see, to be in reality the faithful children of God, we must be established in all the blessed truths of the gospel, and follow on to know the Lord; I am not ashamed to be numbered among the few, the "little flock," to whom it is the Father's good pleasure to give the kingdom. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." I know in obeying the commands of God there is a reward in this life, a consciousness of doing his will, and enjoying the witness that our ways please him.
I believe the blessed Jesus is soon coming to raise the dead, to change the living, to redeem his saints, and bid us welcome into his kingdom. Is it possible that such worms of the dust as we, should ever realize the fulfillment of such exceeding great and precious promises? O yes! all God's promises are yea and amen, in Christ; and if we are united with him as the branch is to the vine, we can claim them ours; and if we do not enjoy this unity we cannot be admitted to the marriage supper of the Lamb. It is our blessed privilege to know our sins are forgiven; for we read of "his Spirit's witnessing with our spirit," our adoption in his family. "And if the Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in us, he that raised up Christ shall quicken our mortal bodies." O how important it is to have Christ dwell in us, that we may bring forth the fruits of righteousness.
The apostle John taught the church "not to believe every spirit, but to try the spirits, whether they were of God," and gave this one great test: "Do they confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh." This cardinal doctrine of the primitive church was the great touchstone. Let a man claim never so much inspiration and prove it never so plausibly, if his doctrine is not one of the Bible, his spirit is antichrist. The Bible has told us plainly what the fruit of the Spirit's work in the soul will always be. It is "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." O let us with fresh vigor take the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand in the evil day—having done all to stand.