The Church at Gilboa by Wm. S. Foote

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 28, 1859

The Church at Gilboa

By Wm. S. Foote

From Bro. Foote.

Bro. Smith: As an effort was lately made in Hanover, Licking Co., Ohio, to blind the eyes of the people there, relative to the progress of present truth in Gilboa and its vicinity, by the reading (publicly) of a letter in Review, Vol. xiii, No. 11; and as a construction was put upon that letter corresponding with the dragon's spirit now at work in the hearts of many who are opposing God's last message of mercy to our fallen race, I feel disposed to offer a few remarks upon the subject through the Review.

The idea that most of the church at Gilboa have abandoned the cause of present truth, cannot be found in the paper above alluded to. The church there is as strong numerically as it was at the close of the tent-meeting in the fall of '57; and as to its spiritual strength, we can say in the language of father Wesley, "The best of all is, God is with us."

Could the opposers of the truth drop into the snug built, commodious new church building at Gilboa, on some one of the Lord's Sabbaths, and see there the scores of intelligent, pleasant looking countenances, on which may be seen strong expressions of joyful hope, and hear there the straight testimony, and many manifestations of holy joy and peace, which fills the hearts of those who through grace are trying to get ready for the coming and kingdom of their Lord; such persons might possibly make up their minds, that although "a few had left, still, the many left behind, stripped for the race, and harnessed for the battle, in the strength of Israel's God, meant to go through to the kingdom which is to fill the whole earth." They would find there a people who, notwithstanding they "delight in the law of the Lord after the inward man," know that "being justified by faith they have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," and are willing to buy of him gold tried in the fire. And although their enemies are strong and numerous, they know that the God of those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus is stronger than all the powers of darkness, and soon will deliver his waiting Zion, and bring them home to everlasting glory.

To those who feel disposed to "make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of naught," [Isa. xxix, 21,] we would recommend the careful consideration of Rev. xxii, 15. "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."

Wm. S. Foote. Pendleton, O.