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186
Early Writings
Angels like a cloud surrounded the Son of God and bade the
everlasting gates be lifted up, that the King of glory might come
in. I saw that while Jesus was with that bright heavenly host, in the
presence of God, and surrounded by His glory, He did not forget His
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disciples upon the earth, but received power from His Father, that He
might return and impart power to them. The same day He returned
and showed Himself to His disciples. He suffered them then to touch
Him; for He had ascended to His Father and had received power.
At this time Thomas was not present. He would not humbly
receive the report of the disciples, but firmly and self-confidently
affirmed that he would not believe unless he should put his fingers in
the prints of the nails and his hand in the side where the cruel spear
was thrust. In this he showed a lack of confidence in his brethren. If
all should require the same evidence, none would now receive Jesus
and believe in His resurrection. But it was the will of God that the
report of the disciples should be received by those who could not
themselves see and hear the risen Saviour. God was not pleased with
the unbelief of Thomas. When Jesus again met with His disciples,
Thomas was with them; and when he beheld Jesus, he believed. But
he had declared that he would not be satisfied without the evidence
of feeling added to sight, and Jesus gave him the evidence which he
had desired. Thomas cried out, “My Lord and my God!” But Jesus
reproved him for his unbelief, saying, “Thomas, because thou hast
seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and
yet have believed.”
In like manner those who have had no experience in the first and
second angels’ messages must receive them from others who had
an experience and followed down through the messages. As Jesus
was rejected, so I saw that these messages have been rejected. And
as the disciples declared that there is salvation in no other name
under heaven, given among men, so also should the servants of
God faithfully and fearlessly warn those who embrace but a part of
the truths connected with the third message, that they must gladly
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receive all the messages as God has given them, or have no part in
the matter.
While the holy women were carrying the report that Jesus had
risen, the Roman guard were circulating the lie that had been put
into their mouths by the chief priests and elders, that the disciples