L E T T E R S by S. C. Wellcome

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 29, 1859

L E T T E R S.

By S. C. Wellcome

"Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another."

From Bro. Wellcome.

DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: Through the abundant goodness of God, I yet live, and am enabled to rejoice in Him, the God of my salvation. I have been brought very near the gates of death the past Summer, but found his grace all sufficient. His hand was laid beneath me; and upheld by his loving hand, what had I to fear? I felt that I was going home to walk the golden streets of the New Jerusalem; and although this poor body may moulder back to dust, yet by faith I could look forward to the time when the blessed Saviour should come to awake his sleeping saints, and give them a body like unto his own glorious body. O, what a blessed thought! to have an immortal body that shall feel no pain or sorrow! but it will be a glorious body that shall last through eternity.

But why should I have a hope like this when I feel that I am one of the least of His children, and altogether unworthy? I will tell you: Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. He shed his precious blood on Calvary that whosoever believeth on him might have eternal life. He gave himself a sacrifice for sin. It was accepted. Our sins were to be washed away by faith in his blood. He ascended to the Father and intercedes for dying men. He sent the comforter the Holy Spirit of promise, to win souls to himself. Ah, then! how could I resist the pleadings of that gentle Spirit, which was saying, "Come and drink of the waters of life freely."

Praise God, I did not resist it; but by its assistance was enabled to lay hold of that atoning blood by faith, and felt its cleansing power in my poor heart, and thus obtained a good hope through grace; and, thank God! it is not a little hope; but it is radiant with immortality. And although this was some years ago, yet I feel that same love in my heart to-day; and it is implanted still deeper, and burns brighter and brighter. I pray God it may continue to burn and increase until I lay down to rest, to await the coming of the Just One. Why, glory to God for this perfect love that fills the soul to overflowing! that burns with a holy flame in the heart to the consumption of everything unholy! O, blessed Savior! how can we praise thee enough for the way of life and salvation, which thou didst open to us through thy sufferings? When I think of the greatness, the fullness and the freeness of this salvation, my soul is lost in wonder, admiration and praise to God; and I feel like saying with the psalmist, "Blessed be the Lord God who only doeth wondrous things."

Brethren and sisters, how is it with you? Are you enjoying this perfect love in your hearts? Have you laid all upon the altar of Christ Jesus, and made an entire consecration of yourself and all you have and are to God? If not, then delay not, rest not, until your hearts are cleansed from sin. Oh, how many there are that are resting upon an old hope, and a form of godliness! half-christians, as some term them, but, in fact, no christians at all. The nominal churches are filled with such, and shall those who call themselves the remnant, follow in their footsteps down the formal road that leads to death? No, my brethren, God forbid. This remnant is to be a holy people; they always have been; and although thousands have professed to be his people, he accepts of none but such as are holy in heart and life. Oh, then awake out of sleep, and examine your hearts. Are they filled with love to God and man? Does God's spirit witness with your spirits that you are his children? If so, rejoice in him, the God and rock of your salvation. Let your hearts be filled with living love that may shine through you in your daily life. It will if you are the saved of the Lord. You cannot shut up the love of God in the soul. It will shine out. It will be spoken out, and lived out every day; and then the fountain of love seems to grow deeper and deeper day by day, for the spring from which the traveler drinks, that walks the highway of holiness, is inexhaustible.

But there are many of you that are striving to keep the commandments in the letter that have never submitted your hearts to God. You complain of your coldness, your sinfulness; and when you hear a brother or sister say that they love God with all their hearts, you groan within yourselves, saying, I wish I could feel as they do, but probably they don't have such trials as I do. But you mistake here; they have trials too, but they walk in the strength of Israel's God, they know in whom they have believed This privilege is yours too; for God is no respecter of persons. This coldness you complain of is the alluring breath of the enemy that he breathes upon you while he seeks to rock you to sleep in the cradle of carnal security. Oh, that God would save us all from cold, dead formality.

"Wake up brother! wake up sister! Seek, O seek this holy state; None but holy ones can enter Through the pure, celestial gate. Can you hear the thought of losing All the joys there are above? No my brother, no my sister, God will perfect you in love."

I praise God that many are waking up to this subject, and begin to see the importance of taking God at his word, having full faith in him, believing, that when they ask him to create in them a clean heart, he will accomplish the work and not leave it half done. Shall we not all be willing to be made free from sin? Jesus did not die in vain. His blood can wash away the deepest stains that sin has made.

The cause is moving on in this part of Wisconsin. The church is rising under the influence of the spirit of God. Our motto is, "Holiness to the Lord." We have excellent meetings at Fish Lake on the Sabbath. My brother preaches there occasionally, and we have prayer and conference meetings; and we have felt the power of God in our meetings of late in a wonderful manner. Some backsliders have been reclaimed, and there is a deep feeling in that neighborhood. May the sanctifying power of God rest upon the scattered flock is the prayer of your unworthy brother in Christ, S. C. WELLCOME. Almond, Wis.