p. 120 | Petitions

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 9, 1862

Petitions.

It may be inferred that the ascending angel's cry to the four angels of Rev. vii, 2, to hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, symbolizes the united petition of God's loyal people to the court of heaven, for the winds now blowing to be held. Whether this inference be warrantable or not, existing facts certainly call for such a petition—not to the President nor to the Legislature that may be now in session; but to Him who has "this nation in his own hand, and will suffer no victories to be gained faster than he ordains, and no more losses than he sees fit." Such a petition, offered in the name of Jesus, will be respected and heard in heaven, while it is almost certain that our friends of the World's Crisis, and our brethren in Iowa, who are petitioning to other sources, are to be disappointed, and make themselves objects of unnecessary ridicule and suspicion. So great a lack of faith could hardly be expected in any that bear the Advent name. In times of peril, true faith stands forth with calm and fearless trust in God.