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what you must experience—the transformation which a sanctification
through the truth will effect for you.
Do you believe that the end of all things is at hand, that the scenes
of this earth’s history are fast closing? If so, show your faith by your
works. A man will show all the faith he has. Some think they have
a good degree of faith, when if they have any, it is dead, for it is not
sustained by works. “Faith if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
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Few have that genuine faith which works by love and purifies the soul.
But all who are accounted worthy of everlasting life must obtain a
moral fitness for the same. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and
it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He
shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And
every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is
pure.” This is the work before you, and you have none too much time
if you engage in the work with all your soul.
You must experience a death to self, and must live unto God. “If
ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where
Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” Self is not to be consulted.
Pride, self-love, selfishness, avarice, covetousness, love of the world,
hatred, suspicion, jealousy, evil surmisings, must all be subdued and
sacrificed forever. When Christ shall appear, it will not be to correct
these evils and then give a moral fitness for His coming. This prepa-
ration must all be made before He comes. It should be a subject of
thought, of study, and earnest inquiry, What shall we do to be saved?
What shall be our conduct that we may show ourselves approved unto
God?
When tempted to murmur, censure, and indulge in fretfulness,
wounding those around you, and in so doing wounding your own soul,
oh! let the deep, earnest, anxious inquiry come from your soul, Shall I
stand without fault before the throne of God? Only the faultless will
be there. None will be translated to heaven while their hearts are filled
with the rubbish of earth. Every defect in the moral character must first
be remedied, every stain removed by the cleansing blood of Christ,
and all the unlovely, unlovable traits of character overcome.
How long a time are you designing to take to prepare to be intro-
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duced into the society of heavenly angels in glory? In the state which
you and your family are in at present, all heaven would be marred
should you be introduced therein. The work for you must be done