RUFUS BAKER by Rufus Baker

Publishing Committee · BATTLE CREEK, MICH. · Aug 7, 1860

RUFUS BAKER

By Rufus Baker

From Bro. Baker.

Bro. Smith: It is over two years since I embraced the third angel's message, and have been trying to walk in obedience to all of God's commandments. Since that time I can truly say that I have been led in a way which I knew not, and also have been made to rejoice many times while contemplating the goodness of God, and his great mercy in showing me his truth. I believe with all my heart that the Lord is in the work, and that while he is uniting and preparing his people to go up into the gaps and make up the hedge, to prepare them to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord, another class of professed Christians will be crying peace and safety when sudden destruction is coming upon them. In view of these things is it not the duty of those who are trying to be the repairers of the breach which has been made in God's holy law, to cry aloud and spare not, and lift up their voice like a trumpet, and show his people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins?

We truly are living in a solemn time, when the last message of mercy is going to a fallen world; and how essentially necessary it is for all who are the followers of the meek and lowly Jesus, to live in such a way that their light can shine to those around them, that thereby they may be led to glorify our Father which is in heaven. I can say for one that I am striving so to live, through the grace of God, as to see at last the inside of the kingdom, and to stand with the hundred and forty-four thousand on mount Zion.

I have been made to rejoice of late while attending a course of lectures at Marquette, delivered by Brn. Loughborough and Steward, in seeing so many coming out from Babylon and uniting in the truth of the third angel's message. My prayer to God is, O Lord, speed on the message, and hasten the time when thy servants shall all be sealed with the seal of the living God, and shall be found without fault before the throne, and without guile in their mouths, and shall be prepared and waiting for their Lord when he shall return from the wedding.

Important events are just before us. Soon the Son of man will come in the glory of his Father and with the holy angels to reward every man according to his works. At that time one company will be crying for rocks and mountains to fall on them, to hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and the wrath of the Lamb, while another will be exclaiming, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him and he will save us.

Reader, to which of these companies do you wish to belong? Do you want eternal life? Keep God's commandments, for they will give you a right to the tree of life, and enable you to enter in through the gates into the city. Do you want the opposite? Violate God's law and you will find the wages of sin to be death. May the Lord grant that we all may be wise and so live as to secure an interest in the atoning blood of Christ, by keeping his Father's commandments; which alone will prepare us for abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom.

RUFUS BAKER

Mackford, Green Lake Co., Wis.