The Counsel to the Laodiceans
By Mary L. Priest
Bro. Smith: The Review is a welcome messenger to us; and as we have been much comforted by perusing its columns, I would contribute a mite for the comfort of others. I believe the counsel to the lukewarm Laodiceans is present truth. When the sound first reached my ears, my judgment was convinced, but while attending the Conference at Boston, the deep, repenting spirit reached my heart. O how wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked I found myself, when my eyes were anointed with eye-salve. I began zealously to repent and confess my sins. Dear brethren and sisters, in this way we can open the door of our hearts. We may pray the Lord to come in, and still he stand knocking for admission; and unless we put away pride, and covetousness, and worldly-mindedness, and all other sins made known to us, we cannot open the door of our hearts wide enough for Jesus to come in, and sup with us and we with him. The buyers and sellers must all be turned out; for he will have the whole heart. We cannot longer serve God and mammon. O for his heart-searching Spirit to go through the camp of Israel. If there are any Achans in the camp, they will be found out. It seems to me, it's every man to his Maker! It's a time of rending of hearts, and when the hearts get rent will there not be some rending of garments? We cannot conform to the fashions of the world. Whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, let us do all to the glory of God. Let us fast and pray, and not forget to watch. God is in earnest with his people! Do we all realize it? We must overcome if we would have eternal life. How full of mercy is this counsel to us. I pity the one that don't receive it. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Blessed is the man whom the Lord chasteneth. Let us remember that every branch in him, that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away, and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bear more fruit. O let us heed the voice by zealously repenting of all our sins, and confessing and forsaking the same, let Jesus in. If we would have our friends come in at this late hour, let us take the stumbling-blocks out of the King's highway, and we shall see some of them coming along. Never did I realize as of late what the Lord is doing, and about to do for the remnant. Do we realize as we should the importance of staying up the hands of the servants of God? Who will be like Aaron and Hur? Should we not all? While they feel the Lord thrusting them out into his vineyard, they leave their quiet homes, facing the chilling blast of the wintry winds through the deep snows, to search out the little flock, and then perhaps toil until the midnight hour, to show them their transgressions, and set the Lord's house in order. Shall they not have means provided, and our prayers and sympathies? O may the Lord help us to prize their labors. We are trying to humble ourselves, praying earnestly that the Lord will continue the purifying process in our hearts, and not let the wound be slightly healed. From your unworthy sister. Lancaster, Mass., Jan., 1857.