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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
to the very close of time. Oh! why are we ever learning only the first
principles of the doctrine of Christ?
The Lord has rich blessings for the church if its members will
seek earnestly to arouse from this perilous lukewarmness. A reli-
gion of vanity, words devoid of vitality, a character destitute of moral
strength,—these are pointed out in the solemn message addressed by
the True Witness to the churches, warning them against pride, worldli-
ness, formalism, and self-sufficiency. To him that says, “I am rich, and
increased with goods, and have need of nothing,” the Lord of heaven
declares, Thou “knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable,
and poor, and blind, and naked.” But to the lowly, the suffering, the
faithful, the patient, who are alive to their weakness and insufficiency,
are given words of encouragement: “Behold, I stand at the door, and
knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to
him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” The True Witness says
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to all: “I know thy works.” This close scrutiny is over the churches
in California. Nothing escapes His searching gaze; their faults and
errors, their neglects and failures, their sinful departure from the truth,
their declensions and shortcomings—all are “opened unto the eyes of
Him with whom we have to do.”
I hope and pray that you may walk in all lowliness of mind, that you
may be a blessing to one another. “Yet a little while, and He that shall
come will come, and will not tarry.” The bridal lamps must be kept
trimmed and burning. Our Lord delays because of His long-suffering
to usward, “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come
to repentance.” But when we, with all the redeemed, shall stand upon
the sea of glass, with harps of gold and crowns of glory, and before us
the immensity of eternity, then we shall see how short was the waiting
period of probation. “Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when
He cometh shall find watching.”
We are living in an age when all should especially give heed to
the injunction of the Saviour: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into
temptation.” Let everyone bear in mind that he should be true and loyal
to God, believing the truth, growing in grace and in the knowledge
of Jesus Christ. The Saviour’s invitation is: “Learn of Me; for I am
meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” The
Lord is willing to help us, to strengthen and bless us; but we must pass
through the refining process until all the impurities in our character