'Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another.'
From Bro. Amadon.
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: How soul-inspiring is the thought that we are almost home; that our warfare is almost ended, and the crown of glory at the hand of the Saviour is so soon to be placed upon our heads. For one, I am ravished with the thought of eternal life. And I long daily, hourly, and sometimes every moment, to be where I shall behold the Lord face to face, and gaze at leisure on all the unveiled glories of the kingdom of God.
I do rejoice that it is possible for us to overcome. I am glad that if we humble ourselves before the Lord he will draw near to us. Is not this encouraging? O what broad promises there are for us in the word of God. For one, brethren, I mean to abide in the vine till I am gathered at last to the heavenly garner.
Let us all with the beginning of the New Year resolve to be more faithful to the Lord. Says the prophet, "Faithfulness becometh thine house, O Lord." O how very becoming it is to see a church ail standing in their appointed lot and place; and how very unbecoming it is to see a band of brethren and sisters down here in the very last sands of time sluggish, indifferent, and neglectful of the great salvation.
Why, brethren, the Lord is not going to hold life and death before the thankless inhabitants of this world much longer; the Sanctuary, our only asylum of safety will soon be closed; and in view of this, "what carefulness; yea, what clearing of ourselves; yea, what fear; yea, what vehement desire; yea, what zeal," ought this to produce in each one of us. Forbearance will soon cease to be a virtue with the Almighty, and the seven last plagues will fall upon the unreconciled sons of Adam.
Men may laugh and wag the head at those who are humbly trying to raise up the foundations of ancient generations, but God in his holy temple laughs at them; for he sees that their day is coming. That same omnipotent Arm which rolled great hail-stones out of heaven upon the proud Assyrians, will also soon "toss the inhabitants of the earth like a ball," and sweep the utmost extremities of the land as with the bosom of destruction.
Men may rush recklessly on as they now do; they may "set their mouth against the heavens," and "lie against the Lord;" but Oh! will not his soul be avenged on such a nation as this? Yes, and it will be a "righteous thing with God" "to wound the hairy scalp of his enemies, and such an one as still goeth on in his trespasses." Then let me draw near to God that he may draw near unto me. Under the shadow of his wings we are safe. If all the "angels that kept not their first estate" should come out against us, it will avail nothing; for the Captain of our salvation is a successful warrior, and the Devil and all Tartarus with him must come under, and acknowledge him Lord of all. Glory be to God! "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords." "All the gods of the nations are idols, but our God made the heavens." In view of this, let us raise one mighty hallelujah to the Lamb, and redouble our efforts to overcome.