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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
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
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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
answer for their faith, they may be able to give a reason for the hope
that is in them, with meekness and fear.
Agitate, agitate, agitate! The subjects which we present to the
world must be to us a living reality. It is important that in defending
the doctrines which we consider fundamental articles of faith, we
should never allow ourselves to employ arguments that are not wholly
sound. These may avail to silence an opposer, but they do not honor the
truth. We should present sound arguments, that will not only silence
our opponents, but will bear the closest and most searching scrutiny.
With those who have educated themselves as debaters, there is
great danger that they will not handle the word of God with fairness.
In meeting an opponent, it should be our earnest effort to present
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subjects in such a manner as to awaken conviction in his mind, instead
of seeking merely to give confidence to the believer.