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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
is worth possessing? Let me be united to God and holy angels, for
this is my highest ambition. You may have all the possessions of
this world; but I must have Jesus; I must have a right to the immortal
inheritance, the eternal substance. Let me enjoy the beauties of the
kingdom of God. Let me delight in the paintings which His own
fingers have colored. I may enjoy them. You may enjoy them. We
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may not worship them, but through them we may be directed to Him
and behold His glory who made all these things for our enjoyment.
Again I say: Be of good courage. Trust in the Lord. Let not the
enemy rob you of the promises. If you have separated yourselves
from the world, God has said that He will be your Father, and you
shall be His sons and daughters. Is not that enough? What greater
inducement could be presented before you? Is there any great object
in being a butterfly and having no substance or aim in life? Oh! let
me stand on the platform of eternal truth. Give me immortal worth.
Let me grasp the golden chain that is let down from heaven to earth,
and let it draw me up to God and glory. This is my ambition; this
is my aim. If others have no higher object than dress, if they can
delight in outward display and satisfy their souls with bows and
ribbons and fantastic things, let them enjoy these. But let me have
the inward adorning. Let me be clothed with that meek and quiet
spirit which is in the sight of God of great price. And I recommend
it to you, young gentlemen and ladies, for it is more precious in His
sight than the gold of Ophir. It is this which makes a man more
precious than fine gold, even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
My sisters, and you young people, it will make you more precious
in the sight of Heaven than fine gold, yea, than the golden wedge
of Ophir. I recommend to you Jesus, my blessed Saviour. I adore
Him; I magnify Him. Oh, that I had an immortal tongue, that I
could praise Him as I desire! that I could stand before the assembled
universe and speak in praise of His matchless charms!
And while I adore and magnify Him, I want you to magnify
Him with me. Praise the Lord even when you fall into darkness.
Praise Him even in temptation. “Rejoice in the Lord alway,” says
the apostle; “and again I say, Rejoice.” Will that bring gloom and
darkness into your families? No, indeed; it will bring a sunbeam.
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You will thus gather rays of eternal light from the throne of glory
and scatter them around you. Let me exhort you to engage in this