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Selected Messages Book 2
age began to press upon them, they had been greatly distressed when
brought under discipline. What does this mean? Does it mean that
Jesus has ceased to be your Saviour? Does it mean that when you are
old and gray-headed, you are privileged to display unholy passion?
Think of this. You should use your reasoning powers in this matter,
as you do in temporal things. You should deny self, and make your
service to God the first business of your life. You must not permit
anything to disturb your peace. There is no need of it; there must be a
constant growth, a constant progress in the divine life.
Christ is the ladder that Jacob saw, whose base rests upon the earth,
and whose topmost round reaches into the highest heaven; and round
after round, you must mount this ladder until you reach the everlasting
kingdom. There is no excuse for becoming more like Satan, more
like human nature. God has set before us the height of the Christian’s
privilege, and it is “to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the
inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being
rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints
what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know
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the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled
with all the fulness of God” (
Ephesians 3:16-19
).—
The Review and
Herald, October 1, 1889
.
To Rise Up and Call Them Blessed
At half past two o’clock P.M. I spoke to a full house [at Adams
Center, N.Y.].... We were gratified to meet the aged servants of God
on this occasion. We have been acquainted from the rise of the third
angel’s message with Elder [Frederick] Wheeler, who is now nearing
eighty years. We have been acquainted with Elders [H. H.] Wilcox
and [Chas. O.] Taylor for the last forty years. Age is telling on these
old standard-bearers, as well as upon me. If we are faithful to the end
the Lord will give us a crown of life that fadeth not away.
The aged standard-bearers are far from being useless and laid aside.
They have a part to act in the work similar to that of John. They can
say, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which
we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our
hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested,
and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal