To Those of Little Experience
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upon little trials.” Said the angel, “Legions of evil angels are around
you, and are trying to press in their awful darkness, that ye may be
ensnared and taken. Ye suffer your mind to be diverted too readily
from the work of preparation, and the all-important truths for these last
days. And ye dwell upon little trials, and go into minute particulars
of little difficulties to explain them to the satisfaction of this one or
that.” Conversation has been protracted for hours between the parties
concerned, and not only has their time been wasted, but the servants
of God are held to listen to them, when the hearts of both parties are
unsubdued by grace. If pride and selfishness were laid aside, five
minutes would remove most difficulties. Hours have been spent in
justifying self, which has grieved angels, and displeased God. I saw
that God will not wait and bow down and listen to long justifications,
and he did not want his servants to do so, and precious time be wasted,
that should be spent in showing transgressors the error of their ways,
and pulling souls out of the fire.
I saw that God’s people were on the enchanted ground; and some
have lost nearly all sense of the shortness of time, and the worth of the
soul. Pride has crept in among Sabbath-keepers, pride of dress and
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appearance. Said the angel, “Sabbath-keepers will have to die to self,
die to pride and love of approbation.”
Truth, saving truth, must be given to the starving people, who are in
darkness. I saw that many prayed for God to humble them; but if God
answered their prayer, it would be by terrible things in righteousness.
It was their duty to humble themselves. I saw that if self-exaltation
was suffered to come in, it would surely lead souls astray, and if not
overcome, prove their ruin. When one begins to get lifted up in his own
eyes, and thinks he can do something, the Spirit of God is withdrawn,
and he goes on in his own strength until he is overthrown. One saint,
I saw, could move the arm of God if he were right; but a multitude
together, if they were wrong, would be weak, and could effect nothing.
I saw that many had unsubdued, unhumbled hearts, and were
thinking more of their own little grievances and trials than the souls
of sinners. If they had the glory of God in view, they would feel
for perishing souls around them; and as they realized their perilous
situation, would take hold with energy, exercising faith in God, and
hold up the hands of his servants, that they may boldly, yet in love,