Letter from Bro. Carver.
By H. E. Carver
BRO. WHITE: It is with heart-felt joy that I take my pen to bear witness to the goodness of our God, and I do this the more cheerfully because I took occasion not long since to write to you in a different strain concerning the church at Richmond and Dayton. In the good providence of God it became my privilege to take Bro. Snook to Richmond on his way to visit the churches, and I shall ever have reason to thank God for what I saw and experienced while with that church. To me individually it was a feast of fat things from the Lord, especially our last meeting, when the whole church came together to partake of the emblems of a crucified Saviour, and that other ordinance of humility, feet-washing. For months past my mind had been depressed by trials and temptations to such a degree that the burden of my prayers became, Lord, withdraw not thy Holy Spirit from me; leave me not to myself, or I fail. But at that meeting the Lord graciously condescended to pour into my soul such a rich blessing that the language of my heart is, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Yes, I feel a consciousness that the Lord has revived his work in me, also a sweet assurance that he will never leave me nor forsake me, but that I shall have a home with his people in the everlasting kingdom of his dear Son. I cannot sufficiently praise God for what he has done for me, a poor, weak, sinful man, and then to think of the joys, blessedness, and glory yet in reservation for me, if faithful, is surely enough to melt the hardest heart, and cause one to cry out, Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the Son of man that thou visitest him. My heart was made to rejoice also when our oldest daughter manifested a determination to go with the remnant to mount Zion. Owing to peculiar circumstances, this important step will unavoidably bring great trials upon her, and I commend her to the prayers of the church, that the rich blessing of God may attend her, and that she may with the people of God at last have a right to enter those pearly gates of the New Jerusalem, and partake of the blessedness of the new earth. My heart also yearns as never before for our other children, and O what a solace it would be to my heart to have the assurance that we should make an unbroken family in the kingdom of God. I solicit your prayers, especially for our eldest son, now in the army for the Union, that the Lord may preserve him alive, and so work upon his judgment and conscience, as to bring him to the cross of Christ for the salvation of his soul. But I wish to tell you what I saw at that meeting, and the effect it had upon my mind. A short time ago I trembled for that church when I learned that they were making, as I thought, an undue test of the visions of sister White in admitting members into church fellowship, and that several souls had been injured thereby. This fault I have seen thoroughly corrected, so that the church now stands upon ground that God can and does approve and bless, and I hope and trust it will have a good effect upon those who have been injured. What I witnessed at our recent meeting has increased my confidence that God is again visiting his people by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and my earnest prayer is that my heart may be in a state of preparation when the time shall come for the out-pouring of the latter rain. I have long believed that the mighty power of God would be displayed in behalf of the remnant who should live when the Lord is about to come, and I believe that those who are keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus are that remnant; and if so, why should it be thought a thing incredible that the gifts of the Spirit are among us? I trust that God in his infinite mercy is preparing me for that refreshing that is to come from his presence. See Acts iii, 19. How appropriate it is that just before the Lord comes, and while he is yet in the heavenly sanctuary making the great atonement by virtue of which our sins are to be blotted out, that there should be a refreshing from his presence, and what better adapted to produce this refreshing than the outpouring of his Holy Spirit? O brethren, there is a good time coming to the people of God; it is coming from his own hand. Now it behooves us to be up and doing. Let us lay aside, so far as possible, the cares of life. Let us not have our affections set on the world, but resist all the adverse influences that Satan knows so well how to bring against us. Let us seek wisdom and strength where alone it may be found, and putting our trust in Jesus, go forward in the path of duty. That God may guide and direct his people in all their ways to his glory and his salvation, is the prayer of your unworthy brother.