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Testimonies for the Church Volume 9
become blameless and harmless, attaining such a character as would
make them the children of God.
A Sure Foundation
“Wherefore the rather, brethren,” says the apostle Peter, “give
diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these
things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered
unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:10, 11
.
Years ago, when the company of believers in the soon coming of
Christ was very small, the Sabbathkeepers at Topsham, Maine, met
for worship in the large kitchen in the home of Brother Stockbridge
Howland. One Sabbath morning Brother Howland was absent. We
were surprised at this, because he was always so punctual. Soon he
came in, his face aglow, shining with the glory of God. “Brethren,”
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he said, “I have found it. I have found that we can pursue a course
of action regarding which the guarantee of God’s word is: ‘Ye shall
never fall.’ I am going to tell you about it.”
He then told us that he had noticed that one brother, a poor
fisherman, had been feeling that he was not as highly respected as he
ought to be and that Brother Howland and others thought themselves
above him. This was not true, but it seemed true to him; and for
several weeks he had not attended the meetings. So Brother Howland
went to his house and knelt before him, saying: “My brother, forgive
me. What is it that I have done?” The man took him by the arm and
tried to raise him to his feet. “No,” said Brother Howland, “what
have you against me?” “I have nothing against you.” “But you must
have,” said Brother Howland, “because once we could speak to one
another, but now you do not speak to me at all, and I want to know
what is the matter.”
“Get up, Brother Howland,” he said. “No,” said Brother How-
land, “I will not.” “Then I must get down,” he said, and he fell on
his knees, and confessed how childish he had been and how many
evil surmisings he had cherished. “And now,” he said, “I will put
them all away.”