Attitude to New Light
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discourage any further investigation of the Scriptures. They become
conservative, and seek to avoid discussion.
The fact that there is no controversy or agitation among God’s
people, should not be regarded as conclusive evidence that they are
holding fast to sound doctrine. There is reason to fear that they may
not be clearly discriminating between truth and error. When no new
questions are started by investigation of the Scriptures, when no dif-
ference of opinion arises which will set men to searching the Bible for
themselves, to make sure that they have the truth, there will be many
now, as in ancient times, who will hold to tradition, and worship they
know not what.
I have been shown that many who profess to have a knowledge of
present truth, know not what they believe. They do not understand the
evidences of their faith. They have no just appreciation of the work for
the present time. When the time of trial shall come, there are men now
preaching to others, who will find, upon examining the positions they
hold, that there are many things for which they can give no satisfactory
reason. Until thus tested, they knew not their great ignorance.
And there are many in the church who take it for granted that they
understand what they believe, but, until controversy arises, they do not
know their own weakness. When separated from those of like faith,
and compelled to stand singly and alone to explain their belief, they
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will be surprised to see how confused are their ideas of what they had
accepted as truth. Certain it is that there has been among us a departure
from the living God, and a turning to men, putting human wisdom in
place of divine.
God will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies will come
in among them, which will sift them, separating the chaff from the
wheat. The Lord calls upon all who believe His word to awake out of
sleep. Precious light has come, appropriate for this time. It is Bible
truth, showing the perils that are right upon us. This light should lead
us to a diligent study of the Scriptures, and a most critical examination
of the positions which we hold.
God would have all the bearings and positions of truth thoroughly
and perseveringly searched, with prayer and fasting. Believers are not
to rest in suppositions and ill-defined ideas of what constitutes truth.
Their faith must be firmly founded upon the word of God, so that when
the testing time shall come, and they are brought before councils to