Faithfulness Through Trial
By Roswell F. Cottrell
DEAR BRETHREN: It is still my earnest desire to be faithful to God and go through with the remnant of his people to the promised, heavenly inheritance. I expect trials all the way, I expect our faith will be tested, but when we are purified, made white and tried, we shall receive the crown of life. We have often resolved, come life or come death, we would be faithful—that we would forsake all for Jesus—that we would have all that God has given us upon the altar—that we would present our bodies a living sacrifice to God, and be ready to lay down our lives even in the cause of our blessed Redeemer. It seems to me that we are fast approaching the trial of our faith. That soon it will appear whether we love in word alone, or in deed and in truth. I feel, for myself, that the time is come that I must prove my zeal in the cause of truth, and feel and know that I am all consecrated to God. And I do want to be faithful and prove my allegiance to the King of kings. It is easy to talk of valor at a distance from the battle, but when we draw near to the enemy our courage is tested. May God arm us for the conflict! May we be prepared for the suffering part of religion. "There's the suffering ere the glory—
There's the cross before the crown." Now is the time for us to be zealous in the cause of the Lord. Now is the time to watch and pray, and fight the fight of faith, and win the conqueror's crown. Soon our Deliverer will come and give eternal life to all the finally faithful. Then, O the joys of the redeemed! the perfect bliss of the overcomers! I will thank the Lord for his goodness in redeeming men. I feel to praise him that he will bestow the matchless gift of eternal life on the overcomers, though I should not overcome. But I hope that by your prayers and the intercession of Jesus, our High Priest, to share with you in the bliss of the world to come. I want to meet there those with whom I have held sweet communion here. I want to see all the pilgrims at home—prophets, apostles and martyrs. And O, I want to see Jesus, the man of sorrows, crowned with glory ineffable, and there adore him for his matchless love. Praise God for the blessed hope of home! R. F. COTTRELL.
Mill Grove, N. Y., Dec. 23d, 1857.