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Right Methods, Principles, and Motives
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spoke about thirty minutes, and the Lord gave me words for those
assembled. These seasons were most profitable; the testimonies of
the students following gave evidence that the Holy Spirit was giving
to all glimpses of the things of God.
The spiritual impressions became more marked as the meetings
progressed. The divine presence was with us. The sympathies and
sentiments of those present became inspired with power and favor.
Hearts were susceptible to the influence of the Holy Spirit, and
decided changes were wrought in minds and character. The Spirit
of God was working upon human agents. I praise the Lord for the
encouraging influence of His Spirit upon my own heart. We all felt
that the Lord was cooperating with us to lead us to will, to resolve,
and act.
The Lord does not propose to perform for us either the willing
or the doing. This is our proper work. As soon as we earnestly enter
upon the work, God’s grace is given to work in us to will and to do,
but never as a substitute for our effort. Our souls are to be aroused to
cooperate. The Holy Spirit works the human agent, to work out our
own salvation. This is the practical lesson the Holy Spirit is striving
to teach us. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to
do of His good pleasure.”
I never had a deeper sense of the precious truth and its power
upon human minds than when addressing those students in the early
meetings. Morning after morning I felt charged with a message from
God. I also had special freedom in speaking twice upon the Sabbath.
At every meeting several unbelievers were present, and they were
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much affected as the truth was presented. If we had a suitable place
for meeting we could invite the neighbors to come in. But our long,
narrow dining room crowded as closely as if packed is not a very
suitable place for worship. I am assigned a little space in the corner
of the room, and am packed up close to the wall. Nevertheless the
Lord Jesus is in the assembly. We know it. Some souls are thinking
very seriously now upon the subject of the truth.
We all know that the most severe and intense soul struggles
belong to the hour of the great resolve to act out the convictions
upon the human heart. The consecration of the soul to God is
committing the keeping of the soul to One who has purchased its
freedom at an infinite price, and then we are to follow on to know