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Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
everywhere. Nearly all believed that this message would end in the
loud cry of the third angel. But as they failed to see the powerful work
accomplished in a short time, many lost the effect of the message. I
saw that this message would not accomplish its work in a few short
months. It is designed to arouse the people of God, to discover to them
their backslidings, and to lead to zealous repentance, that they may
be favored with the presence of Jesus, and be fitted for the loud cry
of the third angel. As this message affected the heart, it led to deep
humility before God. Angels were sent in every direction to prepare
unbelieving hearts for the truth. The cause of God began to rise, and
His people were acquainted with their position. If the counsel of the
True Witness had been fully heeded, God would have wrought for
His people in greater power. Yet the efforts made since the message
has been given, have been blessed of God, and many souls have been
brought from error and darkness to rejoice in the truth.
God will prove His people. Jesus bears patiently with them, and
does not spew them out of His mouth in a moment. Said the angel:
“God is weighing His people.” If the message had been of as short
duration as many of us supposed, there would have been no time
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for them to develop character. Many moved from feeling, not from
principle and faith, and this solemn, fearful message stirred them.
It wrought upon their feelings, and excited their fears, but did not
accomplish the work which God designed that it should. God reads
the heart. Lest His people should be deceived in regard to themselves,
He gives them time for the excitement to wear off, and then proves
them to see if they will obey the counsel of the True Witness.
God leads His people on, step by step. He brings them up to
different points calculated to manifest what is in the heart. Some
endure at one point, but fall off at the next. At every advanced point
the heart is tested and tried a little closer. If the professed people of
God find their hearts opposed to this straight work, it should convince
them that they have a work to do to overcome, if they would not be
spewed out of the mouth of the Lord. Said the angel: “God will bring
His work closer and closer to test and prove every one of His people.”
Some are willing to receive one point; but when God brings them
to another testing point, they shrink from it and stand back, because
they find that it strikes directly at some cherished idol. Here they have
opportunity to see what is in their hearts that shuts out Jesus. They