Preparing for the Holy City
By Harriet Woodruff
Bro Smith: I have been thinking much about the holy City. O how holy, how beautiful, and how wonderful. Far more glorious than man can realize. What manner of persons then ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness, in order to be prepared to dwell with a holy God in the holy city! Who does not want to overcome, to do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through its pearly gates. I for one have much to overcome. The way is a strait way, and I see it is narrowing up, it is cast up high above this world, but I mean to be one, the Lord helping me, to walk in this way, though strait and narrow. The way is not too strait; we cannot be conformed to this world, and be transformed. Rom. xii, 2. We cannot serve God and mammon, we cannot come out of Babylon and be in Babylon, be separate from the world and still unite with the world, go hand in hand with them, talk, act and dress like the world, all at the same time. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord. 2 Cor. vi, 17, 18. What a blessed promise in verse 18. We must crucify self, lay aside all pride. We need to examine our lives very closely. Are not many changes of apparel, and extra trimmings, pride? Is it not like Babylon? Is it not a sign of the last days? Read Isa. iii, 22. It is not a small thing to know our own hearts. The enemy is trying many ways to deceive the people of God. It is very necessary that we watch, and keep our eye fixed upon the work, lest the enemy overcome us, or divert our minds, and ere we are aware we find ourselves far from the strait and narrow path. The Lord has said it will take all to buy the field. I think there is more implied in these words than we have, perhaps, realized. We are living in a solemn time, the period of Judgment. I want to confess all my sins that they may be blotted out, and that I may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless. Yours striving to overcome.
HARRIET WOODRUFF.
Palermo, N. Y., Dec. 4th, 1857.