Chapter 22—The Two Ways
At the Conference at Battle Creek, May 27, 1856, I was shown in
vision some things that concern the church generally. The glory and
majesty of God were made to pass before me. Said the angel: “He is
terrible in His majesty, yet ye realize it not; terrible in His anger, yet
ye offend Him daily. ‘Strive to enter in at the strait gate;’ ‘for wide is
the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many
there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is
the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’” These
roads are distinct, separate, in opposite directions. One leads to eternal
life, the other to eternal death. I saw the distinction between these
roads, also the distinction between the companies traveling them. The
roads are opposite; one is broad and smooth, the other narrow and
rugged. So the parties that travel them are opposite in character, in
life, in dress, and in conversation.
Those who travel in the narrow way are talking of the joy and
happiness they will have at the end of the journey. Their countenances
are often sad, yet often beam with holy, sacred joy. They do not dress
like the company in the broad road, nor talk like them, nor act like them.
A pattern has been given them. A man of sorrows and acquainted with
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grief opened that road for them, and traveled it Himself. His followers
see His footsteps, and are comforted and cheered. He went through
safely; so can they, if they follow in His footsteps.
In the broad road all are occupied with their persons, their dress,
and the pleasures in the way. They indulge freely in hilarity and glee,
and think not of their journey’s end, of the certain destruction at the
end of the path. Every day they approach nearer their destruction; yet
they madly rush on faster and faster. Oh, how dreadful this looked to
me!
I saw many traveling in this broad road who had the words written
upon them: “Dead to the world. The end of all things is at hand. Be ye
also ready.” They looked just like all the vain ones around them, except
a shade of sadness which I noticed upon their countenances. Their
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