p. 139 | WO IS ME by Jesse Dorcas

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 22, 1860

“WO IS ME.”

By Jesse Dorcas

THESE are the words of Jeremiah the prophet, one of the best and most patient of men. See chap xv. He was a man of contention, and was not afraid of hurting somebody's feelings by taking a decided position on the side of truth; though, as it regards his business transactions, no one could, in truth, say aught against him; and it is worthy of notice that he was not a fault-finder himself, yet he was hated and cursed; and, simply because he was not “one of them.” Jeremiah, in this chapter, represents the work and trials under the three angels' messages of Rev. xiv. When he went to his brethren with the word of the Lord, and testified against them for their good, they would rise up against him with anger and flatly deny the word of God, tell him he lied, and suppose that some one “set him on” to oppose their interests. Jer. xliii, 2.

So it is at the present time, since “the second house of Israel” have rejected the testimony of the near coming of the great King. They seem to be very suspicious of the man that has moral courage enough to speak a word in favor of God's own word in hearing of their assemblies. The ministers in the different sections of Babylon seem very much like the governors of the slave states, incensed at the introduction of “the law of liberty.” Woe is me! well may the man say, that will venture within the walls of the synagogues of modern Israel, and speak with the Lord's words to the people. If they do not pronounce him an enemy of the church and a troubler of Israel, and Ahab like, seek his life, reputably, we are not living near the time of the translation of the saints. Scribes, pharisees, and hypocrites, do not relish plain truth now any more than at any other period.

O that the Lord would preserve us from every evil work unto his heavenly kingdom, is my prayer. JESSE DORCAS.