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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
has been on the side of charity, the love of my fellow-man, and my
conviction of duty to God.” “One thing I do know, I have preached
nothing but what I believed; and God’s hand has been with me, his
power has been manifested in the work, and much good has been
effected.” “Many thousands, to all human appearance, have been
made to study the Scriptures by the preaching of the time; and by
that means, through faith and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ,
have been reconciled to God.” “I have never courted the smiles of
the proud, nor quailed when the world frowned. I shall not now
purchase their favor, nor shall I go beyond duty to tempt their hate.
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I shall never seek my life at their hands, nor shrink, I hope, from
losing it, if God in his good providence so orders.”
God did not forsake his people; his Spirit still abode with those
who did not rashly deny the light which they had received, and
denounce the Advent movement. The apostle Paul, looking down
through the ages, had written words of encouragement and warning
for the tried, waiting ones at this crisis: “Cast not away therefore
your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye
have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye
might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall
come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith;
but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them
that believe to the saving of the soul.” [
Hebrews 10:35-39
.]
The people here addressed were in danger of making shipwreck
of faith. They had done the will of God in following the guidance of
his Spirit and his word; yet they could not understand his purpose
in their past experience, nor could they discern the pathway before
them, and they were tempted to doubt whether God had indeed been
leading them. At this time the words were specially applicable,
“Now the just shall live by faith.” As the bright light of the midnight
cry had shone upon their pathway, and they had seen the prophecies
unsealed, and the rapidly fulfilling signs telling that the coming of
Christ was near, Adventists had walked, as it were, by sight. But
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now, bowed down by disappointed hopes, they could stand only by
faith in God and in his word. The scoffing world were saying, “You
have been deceived. Give up your faith, and say that the Advent
movement was of Satan.” But God’s word declared, “If any man