Bro. Smith: The Review is a welcome messenger to us; and as we have been much comforted by perusing its columns, I would contribute a mite for the comfort of others.
I believe the counsel to the lukewarm Laodiceans is present truth. When the sound first reached my ears, my judgment was convinced, but while attending the Conference at Boston, the deep, repenting spirit reached my heart. O how wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked I found myself, when my eyes were anointed with eye-salve. I began zealously to repent and confess my sins.
Dear brethren and sisters, in this way we can open the door of our hearts. We may pray the Lord to come in, and still he stand knocking for admission; and unless we put away pride, and covetousness, and worldly-mindedness, and all other sins made known to us, we cannot open the door of our hearts wide enough for Jesus to come in, and sup with us and we with him. The buyers and sellers must all be turned out; for he will have the whole heart. We cannot longer serve God and mammon.
O for his heart-searching Spirit to go through the camp of Israel. If there are any Achans in the camp, they will be found out. It seems to me, it's every man to his Maker! It's a time of rending of hearts, and when the hearts get rent will there not be some rending of garments? We cannot conform to the fashions of the world. Whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, let us do all to the glory of God. Let us fast and pray, and not forget to watch.
God is in earnest with his people! Do we all realize it? We must overcome if we would have eternal life.
How full of mercy is this counsel to us. I pity the one that don't receive it. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Blessed is the man whom the Lord chasteneth. Let us remember that every branch in him, that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away, and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bear more fruit. O let us heed the voice by zealously repenting of all our sins, and confessing and forsaking the same, let Jesus in.
If we would have our friends come in at this late hour, let us take the stumbling-blocks out of the King's highway, and we shall see some of them coming along. Never did I realize as of late what the Lord is doing, and about to do for the remnant.
Do we realize as we should the importance of staying up the hands of the servants of God? Who will be like Aaron and Hur? Should we not all? While they feel the Lord thrusting them out into his vineyard, they leave their quiet homes, facing the chilling blast of the wintry winds through the deep snows, to search out the little flock, and then perhaps toil until the midnight hour, to show them their transgressions, and set the Lord's house in order. Shall they not have means provided, and our prayers and sympathies? O may the Lord help us to prize their labors.
We are trying to humble ourselves, praying earnestly that the Lord will continue the purifying process in our hearts, and not let the wound be slightly healed.
From your unworthy sister.
MARY L. PRIEST.
Lancaster, Mass., Jan., 1857.
Buying Gold and White Raiment
By P. Billings, Jr.
From Bro. Billings.
BRO. SMITH: I love the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; for I believe he is soon coming the second time without sin unto salvation, and I for one mean to take heed to the faithful and true Witness and buy gold tried in the fire, white raiment, and eye salve that I may see all the truth. I feel daily to consecrate myself anew to the Lord's service and strive with all my power to overcome every besetment.
Yours in hope of immortality.
P. BILLINGS, jr.
Trowbridge, Mich., Feb. 9th, 1857.
Extracts from Letters.
By Editor
BRO. A. G. Carter writes from Rubicon, Dodge Co., Wis.: "Bro. Smith, I do believe the admonition to the Laodiceans is rightly applied to the remnant who profess to keep the Commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. I believed it applied to me as an individual, and I mean to be profited by it. It is my desire and prayer to God that I may see my real aud true condition as God seeth it; for my object is to obtain a never-fading crown of glory in the Kingdom of our Lord.
"I desire to live so that none shall have an occasion to say I am not walking in all of the ordinances of the Lord blameless; for I believe the time has come when God will have a holy people, zealous of good works, and that will not mingle with the world and corrupt churches. My soul is blessed when I read the goodly communications from the church scattered abroad, showing that the remnant is rising to her high privilege in the Third Angel's Message. O may God speed on the work and time when we shall all arrive safe in our heavenly Father's house above, then at the end of the great judgment day, we shall reign on the new and glorified earth throughout eternity. Praise the Lord!
"I would say, If any of the preaching brethren should pass through on the La Crosse and Milwaukee R. R., I should be happy to have them call on us. We live one mile south of Rubicon Station."
Laodicean Reform and Spiritual Renewal
By Alonzo Abbey
From Bro. Abbey.
BRO. SMITH: While reading the cheering epistles, and other communications in the Review, I can say, that I feel stirred within to try to make greater efforts for eternal life than I ever have. It is true, that the message to the Laodicean church found us in a lukewarm state ready to be cast out of the mouth of the Lord.
We have been trying for a time past to take heed to the counsel of the faithful and true Witness and have been trying to buy gold, white raiment, and have our eyes anointed with eye-salve that we may see. We have felt the rebuke, and received the chastisement of the Lord, and we are trying to profit by them. The truth that we were wretched, and miserable, and poor and blind and naked, and knew it not, should awaken us all to a sense of our situation before the Lord, and stir us to new action in his cause. Truly our condition was an alarming one, one that should alarm every one who sees it, and we believe all who are not entirely overcome with the spirit of the world; all who are not so hardened that truth will make no impression upon them, I say we believe they will awake, be zealous and repent.
The church here seem to heed the counsel to the Laodicean church and appear to be zealous to reform, and strive to prepare to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. How necessary it is that we have on the whole armor now, and it seems to me sometimes that it is with us, as it is with an army in time of war. When they are expecting an attack from the enemy, they have orders to sleep on their arms, or with their armor on. And so it is with us, we should sleep with our armor on, expecting an attack from the enemy. If we put off our armor the enemy will be sure to attack us, and how unprepared for fight should we be without our armor, (naked,) the state we were found in but a short time since. I feel for one to strive to enter in at the straight gate, for I am satisfied that many will seek and will not be able to enter in because of the straightness of the way.
Yours hoping for eternal life at the appearing of Christ.
ALONZO ABBEY
North Brookfield, Jan. 1857.
The Work in Ohio.
By George Washington Holt
Bro. Smith: Since my last report from Ohio, the good work of the Lord has been going on, which has been a source of joy and rejoicing to our hearts. Our meetings were incessant among the brethren in different places until the close of our Conference first-day evening the 8th.
We have great reason to rejoice and give glory to God for the strength we have gained, and the encouragement we have received, on account of the great work the Lord has done for us during the stay of Bro. Cornell in Ohio.
Our meetings were those of labor and toil, fasting and prayer. Plain testimony, cutting reproof, and sharp rebuke was administered in love and meekness to the erring with blessed and happy results. The Conference was well attended, and we have reason to believe that the impression made, of the straightness of the way, will be lasting.
We shall long remember the parting season with the dear brethren and sisters of Jackson, and Townsend, who have more recently embraced the truth. May the Lord direct those dear brethren into all the present truth, and prepare them to stand on mount Zion.
In conclusion I would say, the Lord has worked for us far beyond our expectations, and fears. An entire revolution has taken place among us. A new era has dawned, that we can look back upon with a heart-felt joy, surpassing every other point in our history. The Lord is returning unto his people, as they return unto him with the humble spirit of confession, bringing all the tithes into the store-house. Praise the Lord, O my soul! May this work go on until the Lord pours out the Holy Spirit upon us, is my desire.
G. W. Holt.
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Sabbath Keepers on Block Island
BRO. Wm. G. Sheffield writes from New Shoreham R. I., Feb. 1st, 1857: "The Little band of Sabbath-keepers here on Block Island are trying to keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. We believe we are having the Third Angel's Message, and that Jesus is soon coming."
Renewing the Covenant in Laodicea
Bro. M. B. Cobb, writes from Cape Elizabeth, Feb. 5th, 1857. "Believing the present truth of the near coming of the Saviour, and that we are now having the Third Angel's Message, I am trying to overcome my every besetment and to heed the call to the Laodicean to be zealous and repent. I believe this is the people or remnant whom the Lord shall call.
"I have felt of late to arise from this lukewarm state, and to renew my covenant with the Lord, in a way, by the assistance of God's grace, that I may be able to escape all the things that are coming on the earth, and to stand before the Son of man at his appearing."
Awakening from Laodicean Lukewarmness
Sister R. S. Adams writes from Northfield Jan. 1857: "Bro. Smith, While reading the Review and my Bible, I am often reminded of the solemn time in which we live; and when I realize in some degree the shortness of time. I feel to say who will be able to stand. O that I may be dead to this world and alive to God.
"I feel truly that we are in the Laodicean state of the church. We are, too many of us, lukewarm. My prayer is that God may help us to be zealous and repent, and walk in that straight and narrow way that leadeth into life; but God is truly good and greatly to be praised."
Need for a Messenger in Keystone
A. J. Richmond, writes from Keystone, Clinton Co. Feb. 10th, 1857: "The Lord is at work in this vicinity. A number have confessed the truth since the beginning of this year, others are troubled to know what they must do to be saved.
"We greatly need a messenger here to preach the Word, administer the ordinance of Baptism, and set in order the things that are wanting.
"The testimony to the Laodiceans has taken hold of most of those here who profess the truth. We meet on the Sabbath and the Lord meets with us, praise his name! Cannot Bro. Waggoner come to St. John's, and also here. The Lord direct is our prayer."
Call to Holiness and Faithfulness
Bro. J. G. Post, writes from Portland Ct. Jan. 1857: "The cause seems to be in good condition or the church seems to be in good spirits. Our brethren in Berlin are still living for the coming of our Lord. They feel they must be more holy and I feel to say, Amen, God give us strength to rise and put the armor on. We must be holy or never see God. The Psalmist says Holiness becometh thy house forever, and as we profess to be God's house we must be holy here although there are but few at the present day who possess holiness. I feel the Lord will have a holy people or none. I think those who keep the commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus will be holy. I feel sometimes there is danger of our being like other churches formal and cold unless we keep ourselves in the love of God.
"I am looking for a greater time of trial than we have ever seen. God give grace to stand having done all and see the Judge in peace and hear him say, Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
Striving to Overcome and Reach Mount Zion
By Editor
Sister Cornelia Rice, writes from Folsomdale, N. Y. Feb. 10th 1857: "I would say to brethren and sisters scattered abroad, that I believe the truth opens to our view as we journey forward. The Bible seems like a new book while perusing its sacred pages."
"I can say for one, and one only, as I am here alone, that I have felt my Laodicean state for some time past, and am striving to arise. May God give me strength; for I greatly desire to overcome and stand on mount Zion."
APPOINTMENTS.
Conference at Oswego, N.Y.
Providence permitting there will be a Conference at Oswego, N. Y., commencing Feb. 27th, at 2 o'clock P. M., to continue until the Holy Spirit may seem to dictate a close. We hope to meet Brn. Ingraham and Cottrell at this Conference. The Tent operation for the coming season will probably be taken into consideration at this Conference. We hope the churches in Central N. Y., will be fully represented at this meeting.
The brethren generally will need to come prepared to take care of themselves, as there are but few now in Oswego prepared to accommodate those who may come.
S. W. RHODES.
F. WHEELER.
H. EDSON.
Conference Meeting Moved to Roosevelt
By Editor
Since the notice of the above Conference went out last week, we have received word that the place of the meeting would be Roosevelt, instead of Oswego. The above Conference therefore, will be held at ROOSEVELT N. Y., instead of Oswego—Ed.
BOOKS SENT.
N. S. Brigham, Mich., G. D. Brooks, N. Y., A. Abbey, N. Y., O. Tibbet, Mich., J. D. Morton, Mich., Wm G. Sheffield, R. I., Wm McAndrew, Mich., Mrs. C. T. Whitney, N. Y., H. W. Lawrence, N. Y., M. S. Kellogg, Mich., D. Kellogg, Mich.,