p. 135 | Extracts from Letters

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 11, 1860

Extracts from Letters.

Sister S. J. Bostwick writes from Pleasant Grove, Minn.: "Dear brethren and sisters: For the first time I write to you, feeling it a duty to give in my testimony on the side of the Lord. It is now over a year since I first saw that all the commandments were binding, and have been trying to keep them. But O how much I lack! I find that it takes but a trifle to break a commandment, and if we break one of the least commandments we are guilty of all.

"Keep yourselves unspotted from the world. How are we to do this? Is it by following the fashions of the day? This does not look reasonable; for Paul, in his writings, plainly speaks against women's putting on gold or pearls or costly array; and in speaking of the men he says, I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. Now can men of fashion who are taken up with things of this world, live in accordance with Paul's teachings? In another place he says, But godliness with contentment is great gain; for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out; and having food and raiment let us therewith be content. And in another place in the Bible it reads on this wise: For every idle word we shall give an account in the day of judgment.

"But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. Brethren and sisters, let us be faithful until Christ shall make his appearance the second time without sin unto salvation. O how I long for that glorious day which will soon dawn and set death's captives free! But shall we all be ready and looking for him? I so hope. Let us follow in the footsteps of our meek and lowly Saviour, who came into the world to save sinners. He says, If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own, but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. If we try to do right, and try as far as in us lies to live peaceably with all men, then what if the world does hate us? We need not mourn, but rejoice, and pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. Pray for me, brethren and sisters, that I may hold out faithful unto the end, and at last have right to the tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the city."