38
Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
roll swiftly round, and bring the welcome day when these vile bodies
should be changed, and fashioned like unto Christ’s most glorious
body. I also stated that when I lived nearest to the Lord, then I most
earnestly longed for His appearing. Here some present seemed to be
greatly displeased.
When the presiding elder addressed others in the class, he ex-
pressed great joy in anticipating the temporal millennium, when the
earth should be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters
cover the sea. He longed to see this glorious period ushered in. After
the meeting closed, I was conscious of being treated with marked
coldness by those who had formerly been kind and friendly to me. My
brother and I returned home feeling sad that we should be so misun-
derstood by our brethren, and that the subject of the near coming of
Jesus should awaken such bitter opposition in their breasts. Yet we
were thankful that we could discern the precious light and rejoice in
looking for the coming of the Lord.
Not long after this we again attended the class meeting. We wanted
[37]
an opportunity to speak of the precious love of God that animated our
souls. I particularly wished to tell of the Lord’s goodness and mercy to
me. So great a change had been wrought in me that it seemed my duty
to improve every opportunity of testifying to the love of my Saviour.
When my turn came to speak, I stated the evidences I enjoyed
of Jesus’ love, and that I looked forward with the glad expectation
of meeting my Redeemer soon. The belief that Christ’s coming was
near had stirred my soul to seek more earnestly for the sanctification
of the Spirit of God. Here the class leader interrupted me, saying:
“You received sanctification through Methodism, through Methodism,
sister, not through an erroneous theory.” I felt compelled to confess the
truth, that it was not through Methodism that my heart had received
its new blessing, but by the stirring truths concerning the personal
appearing of Jesus. Through them I had found peace, joy, and perfect
love. Thus my testimony closed, the last that I was to bear in class
with my Methodist brethren.
Robert then spoke in his meek way, yet in so clear and touching
a manner that some wept and were much moved; but others coughed
dissentingly and seemed quite uneasy. After leaving the class room,
we again talked over our faith, and marveled that our Christian brethren
and sisters could so ill endure to have a word spoken in reference to