Church Organization and Christian Fellowship
By H. J. Bonfield
DEAR BRO. WHITE: Allow me to say that there are a few of us here in the vicinity of Osceola, Iowa, who are still striving to overcome the evils of this world by keeping the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus. We feel much cheered by the late visit from Bro. Brinkerhoof. He spent two Sabbaths with us, and his pointed testimony was indeed meat in due season. On the last Sabbath of his stay we had a social meeting, and received a spiritual strengthening. About twenty arose as witnesses of the love of God. On the evening following, the church met for business, when Bro. Wm. Beaton was set apart to the office of elder by the laying on of hands; also Bro. M. W. Neale was re-elected deacon, and set apart in the same manner, after which we attended to the ordinances of the Lord's house. The good Spirit of the Lord was in our midst. Some of our brethren who were more than sixty years of age attended to the ordinance of washing feet for the first time in their lives. They seemed to receive a great blessing in so doing, and could exclaim that it was good to serve the Lord. Our prayer is that the good seed sown in our midst by Bro. B. may increase an hundred fold by the time he returns to us again. Our church here numbers thirty-eight members, and I believe the most of us are trying to rise with the message. I believe the plan of organization is doing a good work; for order must be very essential to the perfecting of the church. I still feel like pressing my way through to the kingdom, and can truly say that I have not become weary in well-doing. I think we should consecrate all to the will of God; but how oft, when we would do good, evil is present with us. There seems to be a war waging in our members to bring us into captivity and death. O, may the time soon come when we shall be delivered from such a state of things, when we shall see the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls. But as the signs portend that the time is near at hand, how necessary it is that we all be diligently engaged in making preparations for the event. How necessary that we make preparation to meet our Lord at his return; for soon the opening heavens will proclaim a Saviour near. Soon we shall hear the notes of the trump of God which will awake the sleeping saints when probation will have ceased, and no more time be allotted us in which to make preparation to stand with those that will be redeemed from the earth and sing the new song upon mount Zion. Then while time is allotted us, let us all be found heeding the instructions and admonitions brought to view in the word of God. Let us indeed search the Scriptures to see what God has required of us in order to be obedient children, and be sanctified through obedience to the truth, and that we may live faithful and be counted worthy to obtain an inheritance in the world to come. Yours striving to overcome by the blood of the Lamb.
H. J. BONFIELD.