Dangers of the Young
133
and take Christ for our only portion? Why should we wish to keep
the friendship of our Lord’s enemies, and follow their customs and be
led by their opinions? There must be an entire, unreserved surrender
to God, a forsaking and turning away from the love of the world and
earthly things, or we cannot be his disciples.
The life and spirit of Christ is the only standard of excellence and
[151]
perfection, and our only safe course is in following his example. In
doing this he will guide us by his counsel, and afterward receive us
to glory. We must strive diligently, and be willing to suffer much, in
order to walk in the footsteps of our Redeemer. God is willing to work
for us, to give us of his free Spirit, if we will strive for it, live for it,
believe for it; and then we can walk in the light as he is in the light.
We can feast upon his love, and drink in of his rich fullness.
The East
The Lord has not tested his people upon any particular time since
1844. We have been, and still are, in the patient waiting time. The
excitement created by the 1854 time was considerable, and many have
settled it that that movement was in the order of God, because it was
quite extensive, and some were apparently converted in that movement.
But such conclusions are not necessary. There was much preached in
connection with the time in 1854, that was reasonable and right. Some
who were honest, took truth and error, all together, and sacrificed
much of what they possessed to carry out that error, and after their
disappointment they gave up both truth and error, and are now where
it is very difficult for the truth to reach them.
Some have endured the disappointment, and have seen the evi-
dences of present truth, and have embraced the third angel’s message,
and are striving to carry it out in their lives. But where there is one
who has been benefited by believing the 1854 time, there are ten who
have been injured by it, many of whom are placed where they will not
be convinced of the truth, though it be presented before them ever so
clearly.
A spirit attended the proclamation of the 1854 time which was not
of God. It was a noisy, rough, careless, excitable spirit. Noise was
considered by many the essential of true religion, and a spirit reigned,
the tendency of which was to bring all down upon a low level. This
[152]