Charity and Unity Among Believers
By Jacob Ayres
Bro. Smith: My companion and myself are the only Sabbath-keepers in this immediate vicinity who are fully agreed in sentiment. We do not mean to say by this that there are not others who may be the children of God; for we have learned that to err is human, and that therefore it becomes us, as we are human, to speak and think of others with modesty. The doctrines and views, as taught and held forth in the Review, more nearly accord with our views of prophecy in its fulfillment, and the near coming of the blessed Saviour, than any other publications we have yet seen; and in view of the plain intimation in the word of the Lord that all shall eventually see eye to eye, and also from the fact that we are all learners in the school of Christ, is it not our privilege to cherish the glorious hope that all contentions and divisions are destined to cease forever among the Lord's people? O may it be hastened in its time. And in the meantime let us be very careful to cultivate a spirit of charity towards all who are manifesting an honest desire to know the truth, though they may be in error on some points. O, how necessary that we walk softly and carefully before the Lord in these days of extreme peril. May the Lord give us wisdom to glorify his holy, blessed name. Dear brethren and sisters, let us remember the solemn vows that our souls in anguish have made to be wholly the Lord's, for we may rest assured the Lord will hold us to a strict account for all we say and do; so that if we are found unfaithful to our vows or professions of faith and claims to divine illumination, we shall be found false witnesses and judged out of our own mouths. O, how solemn and fearful the thought. While I write I fear and tremble lest after I have preached to, or warned others, I should myself fail at last of securing the prize. I am thoroughly satisfied that we are living in extremely perilous times, when unless we contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints and fight manfully the good fight of faith we shall be sure to be overcome by the powers of darkness. I say not these things to cause needless alarm, but wo is me if I see danger in the way and give not the warning. It seems to me we are living right in the time when the words of our Saviour are directly applicable to us. Luke xxi, 34. O let us look out for the snare in eating, drinking, and cares of this life. May the Lord help us. Another thing I would warn against is pride of opinion. If this is a snare into which the Sabbath-keeping remnant of Adventists have been taken already, making it so necessary to give the message of the faithful and true Witness, O how important that a double guard be set against every approach of a like nature. While I say these things to others, I am not, I trust, forgetful of myself as a poor, miserable, hell-deserving sinner as viewed in my own righteousness, in the sight of a holy God! O how dependent on the mercy of my Father in heaven for salvation. O may I never forget the hole of the pit from whence I have been digged, by the wondrous grace of God, but ever be humble, meek and lowly like the blessed Master. Let us be faithful and repent of all our evil doings, so that we may be found at last without spot and blameless before the throne. Yours striving for eternal life through Jesus.
Jacob Ayres.
Bristol, Ct., Sept. 15th, 1857.