Personal Experience
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that of nominal professors, as the heavens are higher than the earth.
The people are asleep in their sins and need to be alarmed before
they can shake off this lethargy. Their ministers have preached smooth
things; but God’s servants, who bear sacred, vital truths, should cry
aloud and spare not, that the truth may tear off the garment of security
and find its way to the heart. The straight testimony that should have
been given to the people in-----was shunned by the ministers; the seed
of truth was sown among thorns and has been choked by them. With
some, evil besetments have flourished, and the heavenly graces have
died out.
God’s servants must bear a pointed testimony, which will cut the
natural heart and develop character. Brethren N and O moved with a
perfect restraint upon them while in-----. Such preaching as was given
there will never do the work that God designs should be accomplished.
Ministers of the nominal churches do enough cringing, and wrapping
up of the pointed truths which rebuke sin.
Unless persons embrace the message aright, and their hearts are
prepared to receive it, they would better let it entirely alone. I was
shown that the church in-----have an experience to obtain; but it will be
much harder for them to obtain it now than if the pointed testimony had
been given them at the very commencement, when they first discovered
that they were in error. Then the thorns could have been more easily
rooted out. Yet I saw that there were men of moral worth in-----, some
who will yet be tested upon present truth. If the church will arise and
be converted, the Lord will return unto them and give them His Spirit.
Then their influence will tell for the truth.
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