Meeting Fanaticism
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their ideas on this and other points pertaining to religious duty, charged
me with conforming to the world. On the other hand, the nominal
Adventists charged me with fanaticism, and I was falsely represented
as the leader of the fanaticism which I was laboring constantly to
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arrest.
Different times were set for the Lord to come, and were urged upon
the brethren. But the Lord showed me that they would pass by, for the
time of trouble must take place before the coming of Christ; and that
every time a date was set, and passed, it would weaken the faith of
God’s people. For this I was charged with being the evil servant that
said, “My Lord delayeth His coming.”
Matthew 24:48
.
All these things weighed heavily upon my spirits, and in the con-
fusion I was sometimes tempted to doubt my own experience.
While at family prayers one morning, the power of God began
to rest upon me, and the thought rushed into my mind that it was
mesmerism, and I resisted it. Immediately I was struck dumb, and for
a few moments was lost to everything around me. I then saw my sin in
doubting the power of God, and that for so doing I was struck dumb,
but that my tongue should be loosed in less than twenty-four hours. A
card was held up before me, on which were written in letters of gold
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the chapter and verse of fifty texts of Scripture.
After I came out of vision, I beckoned for the slate, and wrote upon
it that I was dumb, also what I had seen, and that I wished the large
Bible. I took the Bible, and readily turned to all the texts that I had
seen upon the card.
I was unable to speak all day. Early the next morning my soul was
filled with joy, and my tongue was loosed to shout the high praises of
God. After that I dared not doubt, or for a moment resist the power of
God, however others might think of me.
Up to this time I could not write; my trembling hand was unable
to hold a pen steadily. While in vision, I was commanded by an angel
to write the vision. I obeyed, and wrote readily. My nerves were
strengthened, and from that day to this my hand has been steady.
Exhortations To Faithfulness
It was a great cross for me to relate to the erring what had been
shown me concerning them. It caused me great distress to see others