Overcoming Through Faithful Living
By H. St. John
Bro. Smith: As we are to overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, I trust I may ever feel willing to bear my testimony for the truth, and to perform every duty devolving upon me with cheerfulness and alacrity, in the fear of the Lord. I would say to the brethren and sisters scattered abroad, that my heart is with you in keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. I am fully determined by the assisting grace of God, to walk humbly before the Lord, to have my face set as a flint Zionward, and to keep in view the prize that lies at the end of the Christian's race. Glorious prize! Precious boon of immortality to be conferred upon the finally faithful in the kingdom of God! No sickness, sorrow, pain or death will be there to mar the peace and happiness of its faithful, blessed and honored inhabitants. But the promise of eternal felicity is to those only who overcome. Then the question is left for us to decide whether we will have that life, and have it more abundantly, of which the Saviour speaks. May we choose life, and show to those around us that it is indeed a matter of choice with us, that we are pilgrims and strangers upon the earth, looking for a better country, that is, a heavenly. When I look upon my past life and see how unfaithful I have been, I feel that it is time to arise, to come up on higher ground, and to gird on the whole armor, or I shall not be able to stand in these perilous times. Yet I do not feel discouraged, but have an earnest desire to arise from my cold formality and lukewarmness and seek a closer walk with God. When the awful denunciations of Jehovah's wrath shall be poured upon a wicked world, where shall I be? Under the covering of the Almighty, in the secret of his pavilion, I humbly trust. The little band of believers at Ayersville are still holding on to the truth. All of them without any exception firmly believe in the gifts. We feel thankful for those already existing in the church. We do not endorse the article published in Review No. 21, from Ohio. We receive the name, Seventh-day Adventists, because of its appropriateness. It bears upon its front the leading features of our faith. We humbly hope that the dissention and secession that has seemingly been brooding in Ohio, may result in a firmer and closer union of God's people, that the message may arise and go forward with power, even in Ohio. Yours in love of truth.
H. St. John. P. S. We extend an invitation to Bro. Waggoner to visit us this spring. We are very anxious that some brother should come this way before tent season. We are willing to do what we can towards bearing his expenses.
H. S. J.