Letter from Bro. Sperry.
By C. W. Sperry
Bro. Smith:—I feel that we are living in a solemn time, when every day is bringing increasing obligations; when all heaven is engaged in our salvation; when God is gathering his armies together and preparing them for the last great battle; when God is calling loudly upon his people to flee the world’s vain pleasures, customs, fashions, maxims and honors, and put on the garments of righteousness, adorning themselves after a godly manner. We want more of the fear of God, the love of his truth and a more vivid sense of the scenes before us, to rise above the attractions of earth. The claims of our friends and the world have more weight upon us, many times than the claims of God. If it were not so, there would be more fruit unto holiness. There is too much of a grudging submission to the will of God; that is, we sacrifice more because we are obliged to, than because we love to. It is the “willing and the obedient” that shall eat the good of the land. If we give all our goods to feed the poor, and our bodies to be burned, and do not do it in love, it will profit us nothing. Oh! what a transforming there must be in our minds to do the perfect will of God! What a close watchfulness we must have to keep this truth from leaking out of our hearts! Vain and trifling conversation, idle words, jesting and joking, will readily open a way for the Spirit of the truth to vanish from us. We must deny ourselves of all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly and righteously. While God has angels who are commissioned to watch over his children for good, I believe there are evil angels also who are in these days basely engaged to destroy us if they can; and God permits them for our chastisement. While we are in the antitype of ancient Israel, should we not do well to remember and lay it to heart how God dealt with them; and the little light they had compared to the light we have in these last days. What a fearful position we occupy! lest while we are desiring so many of the comforts of this world, we may be left to our own desires and the wrath of God come upon us. Oh, what an unwillingness to yield to be what the Lord wants us to be! If we do not die daily unto this world and self, it makes it very hard to die at all. The Lord help us to search ourselves more closely and not let the straitness of the way slip from our minds, is my fervent prayer. I have for the last twelve weeks visited a few of the counties in this State, laboring in some new fields. I have been encouraged whilst I see that the Lord is searching out his people, and laying judgment to the line, and righteousness to the plummet, and also bringing some more to the knowledge of the truth. While laboring in one new field, and presenting the subject of the Sabbath, two ministers were present and one arose at the close of my remarks and said: "Next Sabbath (meaning Sunday) he would show the other side of the picture," (which proved to be the blank side) at which time he read two sermons which he adopted from President Dwight who said that God never blessed any day, but blessed the Sabbath institution, and left man to apply that institution to any day he pleased. And from this position argues for a change at the ushering in of the Christian dispensation; not by any divine command, but by apostolic example; and adds that Christ designed to have it changed; for proof of which he quoted Matt. ix, 14, 15. Many of his hearers remarked that they expected he would bring some plausible arguments, if no divine command; but all was so destitute of scripture and reason they acknowledged we had the truth. I am thankful that the truth is so plain that little minds can see it, while it takes the large minds to see round it, and yet they cannot explain it away. I met the tent in this place for the first time this season, which was pitched by Bro. Buck one week before I arrived, and has stood in the same place two weeks since. At the close of the meeting on the second First-day, while a good congregation was in the tent we requested them, if they wished us to tarry another week, to manifest it by rising, at which nearly all quickly arose; so we remained, holding meetings in the evenings at private houses during week days with interest to some. The last Sabbath we had a refreshing time with the saints during the day, but especially so in the evening after the Sabbath, while attending to the ordinances of the church. On last First-day our number was not so large because of heavy rain. Some resolved to walk in the truth, while others are deeply convicted. Yours hoping to be purified by obeying the truth. Greenfield, N. Y., Aug 5th, 1856.