Holding Fast the Third Angel’s Message
Bro. Smith: I am still trying to hold on to the Third Angel's Message, for I believe that all the commandments of God are binding as well as the faith of Jesus, and also that we are living in the last time. Then how solemn the thought that we are on the last fragments of time, or that part which connects the two worlds, the present and the future, and we know not how soon the last sand will run out. I also feel that I have a great work yet to do, for we are to be presented faultless before the throne of His glory. How it ought to stir all the powers within us to be up and doing. When the Prophet was commanded to go tell the king to set his house in order, for that he should die and not live, how he turned his face to the wall and wept! O my brethren, do we from day to day go weeping, bearing precious seed? or do we go lean from day to day, and bear no fruit? I feel that I want the gold tried in the fire that I may be rich, also the white raiment and eye-salve; but I often feel too that I have a law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and that too often it brings me into captivity to the law of sin and death. But I try to keep my body under and bring it into subjection to the law of Christ. It is now almost five years since I was led to see and believe the last, sealing truths of the Bible. Since that time I have often reviewed the Advent faith and compared it with the standard of eternal truth, and there is no place that I can see that it can be altered for the better. The subject of the Sanctuary, how beautiful and harmonious! and that our great High Priest is there ministering, not only for others, but for poor unworthy us! O how it ought to call out the gratitude and praise of our poor hearts. Praise the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me, praise his holy name. As I stated that I had often reviewed, so have I compared the Advent faith with other theories, the Age-to-come in particular. I have read J. Marsh's system of doctrine, and there are many things in it that look plausible, yet as a whole I believe it to be rank infidelity, and I can compare it to nothing but a ship on a trackless, bottomless, shoreless ocean, without compass or chart, being driven with fierce winds, with no particular place of destination. But while we look to the heavenly Sanctuary, our way is all plain. There is the center of our worship, and as long as we keep that in view we can tell our whereabouts. Our reckoning is easily kept, for it is God that communes with us from the top of the ark, the mercy-seat, while Jesus pleads before it. Now brethren, the law is holy and the commandment holy, just and good, and I believe I can say that I delight in the law of the Lord after the inward man. I still wish to be numbered with you, as I am still determined to press my way onward and upward till we all stand on mount Zion. I still receive the Review, and should almost be lost without it. It is all the preaching I have, as I have not seen an Advent brother for almost four years. I should be glad if some of the preaching brethren, when at Iowa City, could get up as far as here. I rejoice to hear through the Review that the cause is rising, and that the truth still cuts its way. Dear brethren, if we are faithful a little while longer we shall not be scattered over the wild and desolate waste, but be gathered home to our Father's house. We shall no longer have to mourn our barrenness and unfaithfulness, but shall shout the high praises of our dear Immanuel in the kingdom of his Father and our Father, his God and our God. Yours still hoping for the kingdom.
ALVAREZ PIERCE
Eldora, Iowa, March 8th, 1859.