Encouragement to the Remnant
By Horace Bowen
BRO. SMITH:—Through the blessings of the Lord means have been put into our hands to enlighten our understanding in God's blessed truth. We feel to praise the Lord that he has brought out a people, the remnant, who have been charitable to us in placing your valuable sheet into our hands the past year, which we have read with great interest. It rejoices our hearts to hear through this medium from those of like precious faith. It is truly meat in due season to us. To the Remnant scattered abroad. Dear brethren, hold fast the profession of your faith without wavering; for yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry. Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Be strong, fear not: behold your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense. He will come and save you. Be patient unto the coming of the Lord. Dear brethren, we can by an eye of faith behold the King coming in his beauty to bestow immortal beauty and diadems of glory on his now down-trodden and rejected people, but on the other hand to take vengeance on the ungodly. We can, by an eye of faith, see the awful doom to which this world is fast approaching. The battle of Armageddon will soon be fought. The time is near at hand when a thousand will fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand; but it will not come nigh us, only with our eyes will we behold and see the reward of the wicked. We literally see the fall of Babylon, and the date of her fall is since the proclamation of the First Angel's Message. She is now becoming the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit. We literally see the great wonders and workings of the two-horned beast in these United States; and in short every thing speaks in warning tones of the speedy coming of the Son of God. Myself and companion have been firm believers for ten years that the literal and personal coming of Christ was at hand, and many have been our trials since. In 1854 we had partially embraced the time theory; but before the time had expired, our faith for the want of positive evidence commenced declining. We found ourselves in a dilemma, and not willing to give up all our hope, we went to the God of Daniel to direct us in this matter. Our minds were directed to a humble, pious, and as we suppose, holy people. On a critical examination of the evidences of their faith we found ourselves robbing God of his tithes. On being willing to submit ourselves to God's blessed truth and give in our tithes and offerings, we were extricated from the dilemma into which we had fallen, and according to the promise [Mal. iii, 10] a blessing was poured out. To dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, especially those in the town of Locke, Mich., we feel in a measure indebted for the blessings bestowed upon us. Since we came into this State we have been deprived of meeting with those of like precious faith, except one precious season on remaining over the Sabbath with brethren at Roosevelt, N. Y. As Lot tarried in great Sodom, so we tarry in a little Sodom, in Onondaga Co., N. Y. Here are five high and lofty synagogues, and professors of religion almost innumerable. Out of all these religionists myself and companion, our little daughter, and mother, are all that pay any regard to God's holy Sabbath. Dear brethren, we knew not which way to turn as it regards the commencing and ending of the Sabbath; but to our satisfaction we have read Bro. Andrews' article published in the Review, Dec. 4th, 1855, and comparing it with the Scripture we think it right, for which we feel to praise the Lord. I feel to tremble at the word of God; for it is quick and powerful. Our prayer is that the remnant upon which the dragon makes war may cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in the fear of God, that we may be enabled to hail the dawning glories of that bright morn that knows no night, and with an anxious eye look for the chariot of salvation, and with ears intent listen to catch the first sound of the rumbling wheels of that mighty car which brings from the excellent glory the Son of God, whilst the Archangel's voice shall awake the sleepers in Jesus to everlasting life. O, blessed day! O glorious summons, whose trumpet shall gather the elect, resurrected and immortal, to stand on Zion's holy mount, and crowned with diadems of glory, to sing of victory, and adore the prince of life, and receive an inheritance pure and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. Yours in hope of eternal life.
HORACE BOWEN.
Onondaga Co., N. Y., Dec. 12th, 1855.