COMMUNICATIONS by Elias Goodwin

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 30, 1856

COMMUNICATIONS.

By Elias Goodwin

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another."

From Bro. Goodwin.

DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS:—I sit down at this time to write a few lines, hoping and praying that the Lord may so direct my thoughts, that I may be enabled to say a word or two that shall benefit and encourage some dear saint, who may be passing through fiery trials, and struggling hard with the powers of darkness. I am daily satisfied, in my own mind, that we are now in the Laodicean Church, and in the time when God is loudly calling on his people to buy of him gold tried in the fire, &c., [Rev. iii, 18,] and rebuking and chastening those whom he loves, for their profit; that they might be partakers of his holiness. Heb. xii, 10. What shall we do in such a case? The answer is, Be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold I stand at the door and knock, &c. But some may say, What shall we repent of; we are strong on the truth, that the seventh day is the Sabbath, and that the dead know not anything; and we also believe that the Lord is coming before long, and we think we believe all the truths that are advocated by the Review; so we can hardly believe that this scripture applies to us.

Dear friends, this is in substance just what the True Witness said you would say. "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased in goods," &c. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? James ii, 20. Will a dead faith save any one? Nay, verily. We must have a living faith, to obtain salvation, a faith that works by love and purifies the heart. Can we be said to have living faith in those truths that the Review advocates, and still possess from one to ten thousand dollars, of this world's goods, and see those connected with the publishing of the Review, struggling hard to keep their heads above water, for the lack of means? "My brethren, these things ought not so to be." "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully."

But dear friends, we must be careful, what kind of seed we sow. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." "For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them that God has called to labor in word and doctrine, and those that are laboring hard to publish those truths which are to gather out a people and prepare them to stand before the Son of man.

"I would that thou wert cold or hot." God will have the whole heart or nothing. We "cannot serve God and mammon." Brethren, let us see then that we walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners, (that say and do not,) and purify your hearts, ye double-minded; (neither cold nor hot;) be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Jas. iv, 7-10. This whole chapter, and finally the whole epistle of James, is very applicable to the present time, and to Sabbath-keepers as a body. It agrees well with the counsel given to the Laodiceans: "Buy of me gold, tried in the fire."

I have been thinking, What can this gold mean? We understand that gold is the most precious of all metals, when it is tried in the fire, and all the dross consumed. What grace of the Spirit can this mean or represent? I think it must represent love, or charity, (which is the same.) Love is the foundation of all true religion. Without love, let our profession be what it may, let us do what we will, it amounts to nothing in the sight of God, who searches the hearts of all men. So we see that love is the greatest, and the foundation, of all other graces. Well, has there been a lack of love among Sabbath-keepers, for a few years past? I think there has, and a great lack, too, in many cases. Has not this feeling prevailed, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Well may it be said unto us, "Be zealous therefore and repent."

Well, what is the white raiment? I understand this to mean the righteousness of Christ, our blessed Saviour. Zeph. ii, 3. Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. How shall we obtain this righteousness? Answer. By faith. Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Again: Without faith, it is impossible to please God. But remember that faith without works is dead, being alone. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." Heb. iii, 12.

Now let us see if we can find out what the eye-salve means. 1 John ii, 20, 28. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and know all things. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, &c. Eph. i, 17, 18. "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, &c. Rom. xii, 2. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove (or see, or understand) what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. 1 John ii, 9-11; 2 Pet. i, 9.

We see by these scriptures that the eye-salve is something that will heal and strengthen the eyes of our understanding, or mind, and enable us to see the truth as it is revealed in God's word. I conclude this must be the true Spirit of God, or the Spirit of truth. John xvi, 13. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth. Chaps. xiv, 17; xv, 26.

Remember, dear friends, this Spirit leads into truth, not into error. But, say you, there are many that profess to have this Spirit, and they do not all see alike; so some of them must be in error; and how shall we tell who has the truth, or who has error? Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God, &c. 1 John iv, 1; 1 Thess. v, 1. Any spirit, that will lead you away from God's word, (the plain, literal meaning of it,) or that will prompt you to separate from God's people, those whom he has called and laid the burden of the work of the Third Angel's Message upon, such a spirit, you may be assured, is not of God. 1 John ii, 19; Jude 4, 19; 1 Cor. ii, 14.

Well, what if we don't heed the counsel of the True Witness? "So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." Rev. iii, 16. How is this done? I understand that it is to cast them out or disfellowship them from the church of God. Jer. xv, 19. Therefore thus saith the Lord, if thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth; let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them. By this I understand that the mouth [Rev. iii, 16,] is a figure to represent the Church of God on earth. So then we see that it is the duty of those who will return, or heed the counsel to the Laodiceans, to withdraw from those who will not take heed to it, and strive together for the unity of the faith, or the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Jude 3; Phil. i, 27; 1 Cor. i, 10.

I believe God will have his people to be one, before they will stand upon mount Zion. Jno. xvii, 22; 1 Jno. i, 5; iii, 24.

Many more texts might be quoted to show that God's people will be one, and see eye to eye, before the Lord comes, whose coming is now even at the doors. Rev. iii, 20; Matt. xxiv, 33.

Brethren, it is the last call of mercy to Sabbath-keepers as well as others. Do we believe the Third Angel has been crying these number of years? If we do, let us show our faith by our works, and have our loins girded about, and our lights burning. Luke xii, 35.

I believe some have already taken heed to the counsel to the Laodiceans, and many more are waking up to this subject, and Israel will soon be ready to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Rev. xvi, 14; xvii, 14; xix, 19; xx, 8; Eze. xiii, 5.

Brethren and sisters, I believe that day is nearer than many of us anticipate. O that God would awake his people that they might see their condition, and understand their true position before it shall be said, He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, &c. Rev. xxii, 11. O that will be an awful time. I think I have had a true sense of that time the past Summer. Ps. xxxi, 22; Lam. iii, 18, 54.

But blessed be the Lord God of Israel, he heard the prayers of his saints when they humbled, and afflicted their souls before him, [Luke xiii, 6-9; Isa. lvii, 16-18] and brought me up out of an horrible pit. Ps. xl, 2, 3.

It truly is an horrible pit into which I hope none of the saints of God will ever have to be placed to chasten them. If we would judge ourselves we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we might not be condemned

with the world. 1 Cor. xi, 31, 22; Ps. xciv, 12; cxix, 67, 71.

Brethren, pray for me, that I may overcome and stand with you on mount Zion.

ELIAS GOODWIN.