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The Great Controversy
been with me; His power has been manifested in the work, and much
good has been effected.” “Many thousands, to all human appearance,
have been made to study the Scriptures by the preaching of the time;
and by that means, through faith and the sprinkling of the blood of
Christ, have been reconciled to God.”—Bliss, pages 256, 255, 277,
280, 281. “I have never courted the smiles of the proud, nor quailed
when the world frowned. I shall not now purchase their favor, nor
shall I go beyond duty to tempt their hate. I shall never seek my life
at their hands, nor shrink, I hope, from losing it, if God in His good
providence so orders.”—J. White, Life of Wm. Miller, page 315.
God did not forsake His people; His Spirit still abode with those
who did not rashly deny the light which they had received, and de-
nounce the advent movement. In the Epistle to the Hebrews are words
of encouragement and warning for the tried, waiting ones at this crisis:
“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recom-
pense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done
the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while,
and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just
shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no
pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition;
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but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”
Hebrews 10:35-39
.
That this admonition is addressed to the church in the last days is
evident from the words pointing to the nearness of the Lord’s coming:
“For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come and will not
tarry.” And it is plainly implied that there would be a seeming delay
and that the Lord would appear to tarry. The instruction here given is
especially adapted to the experience of Adventists at this time. The
people here addressed were in danger of making shipwreck of faith.
They had done the will of God in following the guidance of His Spirit
and His word; yet they could not understand His purpose in their past
experience, nor could they discern the pathway before them, and they
were tempted to doubt whether God had indeed been leading them. At
this time the words were applicable: “Now the just shall live by faith.”
As the bright light of the “midnight cry” had shone upon their pathway,
and they had seen the prophecies unsealed and the rapidly fulfilling
signs telling that the coming of Christ was near, they had walked, as
it were, by sight. But now, bowed down by disappointed hopes, they
could stand only by faith in God and in His word. The scoffing world