MALINDA B. PIERCE by Malinda B. Pierce

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 20, 1857

MALINDA B. PIERCE

By Malinda B. Pierce

From Sister Pierce.

BRO. SMITH: I wish to say to you that I am, I trust, still striving to keep all the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. The present truth never looked so precious to me as within a few weeks past. I do desire to walk in it fully. When the testimony to the Laodiceans first came out last Fall, I felt as though it met my case, and tried to heed it by a zealous repentance according to the admonition of the blessed Jesus, but I did not let it have that thorough, lasting effect upon me that it ought to have had, and I again grew rather stupid; but for a few weeks I have felt more fully the weight of that message, and I do feel determined to try and be among those that will overcome.

I have thought much of late what precious promises there are to those that overcome. It seems there is a great deal of meaning to that word, or it would not be so often repeated in the holy Bible. He that overcometh shall eat of the tree of life that is in the midst of the paradise of God. O I long to taste of the blessed fruit of that tree, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations. I do feel as though I must be among those that enter through the gates into the city, that glorious, blessed city, where there is no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, for the former things are passed away. Sometimes I have such feelings for those around me that are all engaged in this world, and do not realize that the day of wrath hasteth greatly, that it seems as though I must make them see; but when I try to talk with them they appear so stupid, and many of them show such enmity to the truth that my heart aches and I weep before the Lord on their account.

I do desire very much that some of the brethren would come this way and hold up the truth to the people. It seems as though there must be some that are not wholly joined to idols. My husband's father and myself are all the Sabbath-keepers there are for more than twenty miles. It sometimes feel very lonely, and when the holy Sabbath comes and all around are engaged in the active business of life, O how we wish we could drop in with those that are met to worship the great Author of the Sabbath. Dear brethren and sisters, you that have the privilege of meeting together every Sabbath will you remember the lonely ones, and pray for us that we may overcome all and be prepared to meet all the loved saints with the blessed Jesus in their midst in the land where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest. O I long to be there. I do feel that it is much better to suffer afflictions with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a sea-

son. May the Lord help us to have our lamps trimmed and burning brightly amid the surrounding darkness.

Your unworthy sister striving for life.

MALINDA B. PIERCE

Andover, Vt., July 27th, 1857.