The Review’s Precious Fruit
By A. Abbey
BRO. SMITH: The Review comes laden with precious fruit, which is soon devoured, and many times we are ready to say we would like another paper as soon as we have read one. We are satisfied that the publishing department has been faithful in sending out the Review, if those to whom it has been sent have not been faithful to them. When we read the cheering epistles from those scattered abroad, and find occasionally one with whom we have been acquainted, it seems almost like talking with them face to face; and when we read what the Lord is doing through his servants in the proclamation of the third angel's message and the truths connected with it, we have great reason to rejoice and praise the Lord that we have such an organ of communication. Through this organ we hear of the joys of God's people, also through this we hear of the afflictions of the same. And when we read of those who are carrying the last message of mercy to poor sinful men, and hear how they are afflicted and worn down with labor, we feel like crying unto the Lord for help, and also like praying to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into the harvest. We feel like striving to arise and gird on the armor anew and trying to go forward. It is very certain that we have been lukewarm too long, and have therefore grieved the Saviour; and when he has knocked for admittance we have been unwilling to open our hearts and let him in. We have let such a large amount of rubbish accumulate around our hearts that there has not been much room for the Saviour there. We are also aware that the Saviour will not come into our hearts unless they are prepared to receive him. The Saviour will not come into our hearts merely because we ask him to come in, but we must feel our need of him, feel our poverty, and see our wretched and miserable condition without him, and then we shall begin to call in earnest for him to come in, and he will come in and sup with us and we with him. I have looked with much anxiety to the time when the church shall fully awake and come up from the state of lukewarmness into which they have fallen. I believe fully that it will be such a time of rejoicing as the church has never witnessed. When the church has become so fully consecrated that the Lord can walk among them, and can manifest his saving power, and the church will give him the glory, then shall we see his goings forth prepared as the morning; then shall we see the people flocking to the standard of truth, and the church will labor as well as the messengers. May the time hasten on when the church shall fully arise, is the prayer of your brother. A. ABBEY.