Extracts from Letters

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 5, 1861

Extracts from Letters.

Sister E. Lindsay writes from Hillsborough, Ind. : "It is now a little more than two years since I heard the third angel's message proclaimed by Brn. Waggoner and Hull in Iowa City. I started then to seek for eternal life and a home not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. I feel that the goodness of God has followed me all the days of my life; nevertheless I have had some very severe trials, but God has given his promise that if I put my trust in him, his grace shall be sufficient. O, has he not been merciful to me amid all my trials and afflictions? He has shown me the road to life, and given me a desire to walk therein. I sometimes feel very lonely; for there are none of like faith near this place. I often wish that I could meet with God's people on the Sabbath-day. But, dear brethren and sisters, if we are only faithful we shall meet ere long to part no more. May God help us to keep his commandments and the faith of Jesus, that we may have a right to the tree of life. Beloved friends, let me beg an interest in your prayers that I may be counted worthy to escape the things that are soon coming upon the earth, and to stand before the Son of God when he comes to judge the quick and the dead."

Sister A. Allen writes from New London, Iowa : "I believe the time is not far distant when if faithful we shall not be strangers to each other. We have no preaching of present truth here, being all alone in the cause. We feel very lonely as we have removed to Iowa from the East, where we had a few of like precious faith to meet with on the Sabbath. It has been about eighteen months since I embraced present truth, and I still rejoice in it. I have had some precious seasons with those that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. I have much to overcome, but I am determined by the grace of God to overcome all and at last stand with the remnant on mount Zion."

Bro. W. F. Crous writes from Vinton, Iowa : "For the first time I seat myself to write a few lines to the Review. It is now six months since I with my wife and others embraced the third angel's message and commenced keeping the Sabbath of the Lord under the labors of Brn. Cornell and Snook, at Vinton. We praise the Lord that our ears were ever saluted with the sound of the gospel in its purity as taught in the word of God. Present truth, O, how plain! What great reward in keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. We ask the prayers of our scattered brethren and sisters that we may continue to the end and be gathered home with the remnant of God's people when Jesus comes."

Sister E. H. Van Ornum writes from Edwards, N. Y. : "My heart is often encouraged by reading the precious testimonies in the Review. I love the truth it advocates. I feel that I have great reason to bless the Lord and thank his holy name that he has shown me the truth and enabled me to embrace it. I desire to be free from the world and ready to meet the Lord when he comes. I would cast off all the weights that hang about me, and in their stead put on the armor of God. My heart is in union with God's dear people, and with the message they are trying to obey. 'My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed.' Then let me stand with the remnant and strive for eternal life with them."

Sister C. Bowen writes from Liverpool, N. Y. : "We have not a wavering doubt as as regards the soon coming of the holy and the just One to reward his faithful children. God's precious truth that I have heard has taken deep root in my heart, and I praise the Lord for it. I am determined by God's assisting grace to fight manfully the battles of the Lord until the victory shall turn on Israel's side. Thanks be to the Lord that he has given us the evidences in his word, and the sure signs in the heavens, of the glorious return of the nobleman that has been so long from his waiting church. My mind has often reverted to Nov., 1833. I then beheld one of the literal signs in the heavens long foretold by our Saviour. At the place where I was at that time, the old men and women prayed for the first time in all their lives for mercy, supposing that the day of judgment had come, or was about to come. For a description of that phenomenon see Rev. vi, 13."

Sister E. Gibson writes from London, C. W. : "I feel it a privilege to let the brethren and sisters know that I am trying to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. I thank the Lord for the blessed privilege of reading the cheering letters from the dear saints. It cheers my heart to hear from the scattered ones. I thank and praise God for the blessed hope I have of soon meeting them. I can adopt the words of the psalmist, 'Truly God is good. Praise the Lord, O my soul.' Dear brethren and sisters, I feel to thank God that I have his holy word, which teaches me to look forward to the soon coming of the Saviour. I want to live so as to enjoy God's blessing here. He has promised to be the widow's God, and a father to the fatherless. Praise the Lord for all his blessed promises. They are yea and amen in Christ Jesus the Lord."

Bro. J. Chase writes from North Leeds, Wis. : "I never felt more firm in the doctrine of the second coming of Christ,—his being near, even at the door, and the necessity of a preparation to meet him then as I have of late. Truly when I look abroad upon the nations of the earth and see their anger and the wickedness of the inhabitants of earth, the workings of Satan in various ways, it looks to me as though we were living in the last days. Let us then my brethren and sisters take to us the whole armor. I am a firm believer in the three angels' messages of Rev. xiv. 6-12, and that the third of these is now being proclaimed; and I do believe that it is the last message of mercy that will ever be given to this wicked world. I would also say that I believe in the gifts set in the church. I have never known any one to reject them and to fight against them, but he lost his religion."