Preparing for the Day of the Lord
By M. S. Finch
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: When I left Roosevelt, N. Y., last Fall, I felt like dedicating all to God without reserve, henceforth to live to his honor and glory. When I look back upon my past life and see how far short I have come of Bible holiness, and of being all that the Lord has required of me, tears of repentance have freely flowed; and I have felt that every sin must be confessed and forsaken, that they might be blotted out when the times of refreshing come, and we be sheltered in the day of the Lord's fierce anger, when his wrath will be poured out upon a guilty world. We are fast hastening to the judgment, when we shall have to give an account for the deeds done here in the body whether they be good or evil. We are fast approaching an important period in this world's crisis, and are we preparing for it? Does our daily walk, life, and conversation, and the example that we set before others, does it all tell that we fully believe that the coming of the just One is near? O may the Lord help us to fully awake and gird on the armor anew, to let go of the world and lay up a treasure in heaven. The Lord requires the whole heart, half-hearted service never will satisfy him; a few faint prayers or desires never will carry us to the desired haven of rest, but we must earnestly seek the Lord, both in the closet and around the family altar, and obtain the victory there; then we can have a living testimony that our ways please the Lord. As to the cause here in Waverly I will say, the Lord is reviving his work in our midst. There has been a deep heart-searching time among the saints here for a few weeks past and the most of them feel like returning unto the Lord with all their hearts. "Return unto me and I will return unto you saith the Lord, and will heal all your backslidings." Precious promise to his people! What love towards his erring children! O who would not return unto the Lord that he might return unto them. The gifts of the Spirit now being developed, have given a new impetus to the cause and greatly strengthened and encouraged the little flock in this place. Last Sabbath the Lord met with us in a special manner, and the sweet melting Spirit of Jesus rested upon us, and we were refreshed and cheered on our way heaven-ward. May the Lord enable us to faithfully heed the counsel of the true Witness and zealously repent of all our sins that Jesus may come in and sup with us and we with him. I can truly say I feel a hungering and thirsting for full and free salvation. I must have eternal life at the loss of all things else. Yours in hope.
M. S. FINCH.
Waverly, Sept. 24th, 1857. P. S. Where is Bro. Frisbie? cannot he or some one else visit the church here before long? There are some here waiting to go forward in the ordinance of baptism when opportunity shall permit.
M. S. F.