A Testimony of Conversion
By J. W. Lane
Bro. Smith: It will be two years next April since I escaped from the gates of the tottering city of Babylon, and found refuge in the camp of the saints. I thank the Lord that he enlightened my mind so as to behold the signs of the times in season to leave the polluted place. My companion embraced the present truth some months before I did, and I felt much opposition to her new views, believing them to be nothing but a delusion, kindred to Mormonism, Spiritualism, &c., until the Lord mercifully opened my eyes to see that I was fighting against the truth. I can say truly, since the Lord hath made me free, I have had no desire to turn again to the weak and beggarly elements of the world, but am determined, God being my strength, to keep my eyes steadily fixed on the mark of the prize, and press forward until I reach the city having foundations, whose maker and builder is God. Brethren and sisters, let us endeavor to live so that the impenitent shall have no cause to bring a reproach against the cause we love. The most common excuse of the sinner for not embracing Christianity is, that the lives of those who profess religion do not correspond with their profession. I fear they often have too much cause for making this assertion. We often hear the non-professor say, that the professing part of community show more greediness of gain, more of a disposition to overreach in their bargains with others, than those who make no profession at all. I fear they have too much ground for these charges; but does this disprove the reality of religion? No, indeed. A quart of wheat may be mixed with twenty bushels of chess, but that does not make the whole pile chess. Every kernel of wheat is genuine, and just as good as though it were unmixed with chess. So one, two, or three, or any other number of real christians, may be surrounded with twenty times their own number, of hypocrites, and yet each one will be a real disciple of the Lord. I believe we may find ample directions in the word of God to enable us to live so that unbelievers shall be constrained to acknowledge that christianity is real. But in order so to live, we must really possess the Spirit of our divine Master. We must pray daily for grace to overcome every besetting sin. We must search diligently the written word, and endeavor, by every means, to ascertain what is that good and righteous will of the Lord concerning us. We expect, brethren and sisters, soon to be discharged from this warfare, when Jesus, whose right it is to reign, shall come. Then let us be faithful unto the end, that we may at last be counted worthy to enter through the gates into the city, and so be forever with the Lord. We feel very anxious to have some of the preaching brethren come and dispense to us, and others in this vicinity, the word of life. We live four miles north of the village of Portland. Sister Hodges lives two miles south of here. Sister Hodges and myself and companion are the only ones in this town who keep the Sabbath. We are poor; but should any of the brethren feel it to be duty to come and feed the little flock in this place, we will entertain them to the best of our ability. Pray for us, brethren, that our faith fail not, but that we may have our lamps trimmed and burning, ready to meet the Lord at his coming. Yours in hope of immortality.
J. W. Lane.
Portland, Mich., Jan., 1859.