Two Ways
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between the Christian and the world. I saw that the words, the dress,
and actions, should tell for God. Then a holy influence will be shed
upon all, and all will take knowledge of them that they have been with
Jesus; and unbelievers will see that the truth we profess has a holy
influence, and that faith in Christ’s coming affects the character of the
man or woman. If any wish to have their influence tell in favor of truth,
let them live it out, and imitate the humble Pattern.
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I saw that God hates pride, and that all the proud, and all that do
wickedly, shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them
up. I saw that the third angel’s message must yet work like leaven
upon many hearts that profess to believe it, and purge away their pride,
selfishness, covetousness, and love of the world.
Jesus is coming, and will he find a people conformed to the world?
And will he acknowledge them as his people? Oh, no. None but
the pure and holy will he acknowledge as his. Those that have been
purified and made bright through suffering, and have kept themselves
separate, unspotted from the world, he will own as his.
As I saw the dreadful fact that God’s people were conformed to
the world, with no distinction, only in name, between many of the
professed disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus, and unbelievers, my
soul felt deep anguish. I saw that Jesus was wounded and put to an
open shame. Said the angel, as with sorrow he saw the professed
people of God loving the world, partaking of the spirit of the world,
and following its fashions, “Cut loose! cut loose! lest he appoint thee
thy portion with hypocrites and unbelievers outside of the City. Thy
profession will only cause thee greater anguish, and thy punishment
will be greater, because ye knew his will, but did it not.” I saw that
those who profess to believe the third angel’s message often wound the
cause of God by lightness, joking, and trifling. This evil I was shown
was all through our ranks. I saw that there should be an humbling
before God, and that the Israel of God should rend the heart and not the
garments. Childlike simplicity is rarely seen; the approbation of man
is more thought of than to fear to displease God. Said the angel, “Set
thine heart in order, lest he visit thee in judgment, and the brittle thread
of life be cut, and ye lie down in the grave unsheltered, unprepared
for the judgment. Or if ye do not make your bed in the grave, unless
ye soon make your peace with God, tear yourselves from the world,
your hearts will grow harder, and ye will lean upon a false prop, a
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