Letters | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 16, 1864

Letters.

"Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another."

This department of the paper is designed for the brethren and sisters to freely and fully communicate with each other respecting their hopes and determinations, conflicts and victories, attainments and desires, in the heavenly journey. Then they, says the prophet, that feared the Lord spake often one to another. We believe emphatically that we are living in that time. Therefore seek first a living experience and then seek it, carefully and properly, for the comfort and encouragement of the other members of the household of faith. Let this department be well filled with lively testimonies of the goodness of God, and the value of his truth.

From Sister Maxson.

DEAR BRN. AND SISTERS: We have just had one of those sweet, heavenly seasons with which pilgrims are sometimes blessed, and I feel that I would communicate to you something of our happiness, though I am not able to fully describe the refreshing season we have enjoyed. Bro. Taylor spent last Sabbath and first-day with us, and his visit was truly a blessing. His remarks Sabbath morning were founded upon 1 Thess. iv, 13–18, and the whole of chap. v. It was a searching discourse. We felt that an angel stood by him, and enabled him to declare unto us the counsels of God. And we felt, too, that we were feeding upon bread divine, and the heavenly manna descended upon us in plentiful showers.

His comments upon "Despise not prophesying," were very appropriate and instructive. Dear brethren and sisters, do we all obey God in this respect, or are we despising prophesying? If we are, oh let us, with deep repentance, hasten to God, and get our hearts right in his sight. We ought to be very thankful, and I trust we are, that God has placed the spirit of prophecy in the church. I feel very thankful for all the truths that are connected with the third angel's message; but, for nothing do I feel more grateful, than for the gift that is among us. We ought to love, cherish and defend the visions, for they have done great things for us. If Satan attempts to throw darkness over our minds by tempting us to doubt their genuineness, let us go right to God with it, and beg of him to lead us into all truth. If we do this, we shall gain a complete victory over our doubts, and Satan and his host will be driven back.

Sabbath afternoon we listened to a discourse from the words, "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father in Heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." And as this will of God was pointed out to us from the holy Word, we trembled for fear we were not doing his whole pleasure. Yet we felt determined, by His assisting grace, to cast out every idol from our hearts; to bring our thoughts, our words, and our actions into subjection to Him, and to strive in all things to do his holy will.

In the evening we had a social meeting, and felt that the spirit of the Lord was with us while we attempted to exhort, encourage and comfort one another.

We listened, on Sunday, to two very impressive and profitable discourses, and in the evening attended the ordinances of the Lord's house. It had never before been our privilege to attend such a meeting. It had never been our privilege to have the ordinances celebrated here, and though some of us at first shrank from the humbling part, yet the Lord enabled us to subdue the pride of our hearts, and we were greatly blessed while following the example of our Lord. As we bowed in prayer, every heart seemed drawn out to God "in strong cries and tears," and in pleadings for a blessing. And the blessing came with great power. We knew that the blessed Saviour was in our midst, and we seemed to hear his sweet voice saying, "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet." And after we had borne the cross, these sweet words were impressed upon us, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my disciples, ye have done it unto me."

Deep solemnity rested upon us while we partook of the emblems of our Saviour's love. In imagination we went back to the night on which he was betrayed, and stood with him in the "upper chamber." We saw the look of undying, pitying love, which even the agonies he was about to suffer could not efface. We heard him say, "This is my body which is given for you; and this is my blood which is shed for the remission of your sins." And though with sad hearts, in view of our many sins, we drank "of the fruit of the vine," in remembrance of our dear Lord; yet with joy we looked forward to the time, when, free from sin, we shall drink it new with him in our Father's kingdom.

After singing a hymn, instead of "going out," we all remained, while the stillness of death rested upon us. The holy spell which bound us was at last broken, by singing "one of the songs of Zion." The language of every heart seemed to be, > Nearer, my God, to thee, > Nearer to thee; > E'en though it be a cross > That raiseth me.

The brethren and sisters spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance, and all gave a cheerful, living testimony. At last we parted, blessing God for the sweet season we had enjoyed, and feeling that the chain of love had been drawn around us more closely than ever before, binding our hearts together in the holy bonds of Christian fellowship.

Dear brethren and sisters, let us pray more for our ministering brethren. They make many sacrifices, and have many trials to bear, of which we know nothing. We can sustain them by our earnest prayers, and by living holy, blameless lives. And let us pray, too, that the Lord will send forth laborers into his vineyard. "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few."

Knowing the time in which we live, let us awake out of sleep, "for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light." "Let us put away all wrath, and malice, and evil speaking, and be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another." Let us "press together," and do all in our power to advance the precious truth.

That God will lead us into the unity of the faith, perfect us in every good work, and at last permit us to stand on the immortal shores, is the earnest prayer of your sister, MARY F. MAXSON. Adams' Center, N. Y.