Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

Cause in the East 385is so sacred to them that they speak it with the greatest reverence.But how opposite the spirit and influence attending the 1854 timemovement. Some who are still under the same influence speak ofGod as they would of a horse or of any other commonplace thing. Intheir prayers they use the words God Almighty in a very common andirreverent manner. Those who do this have no sense of the exaltedcharacter of God, of Christ, or of heavenly things.I was shown that when God sent His angels anciently to ministeror communicate to individuals, and these persons learned that they hadseen and talked with an angel, they were struck with awe and wereafraid that they should die. They had so exalted views of the terriblemajesty and power of God that they thought it would destroy themto be brought into close connection with one direct from His holypresence. I was referred to Judges 13:21, 22: “Then Manoah knewthat he was an angel of the Lord. And Manoah said unto his wife, Weshall surely die, because we have seen God.” Judges 6:22, 23: “Andwhen Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said,Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord faceto face. And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thoushalt not die.” Joshua 5:13-15: “And it came to pass, when Joshua was [411]by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, therestood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: andJoshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for ouradversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lordam I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and didworship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? Andthe captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe fromoff thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshuadid so.” If angels were thus feared and honored because they camefrom the presence of God, with how much greater reverence shouldGod Himself be regarded.Many who were converted through the influence of the 1854 movementneed to be converted anew. And now tenfold more labor is requiredto correct the wrong, distracting views which they have receivedfrom their teachers, and to lead them to receive the truth unmixed witherror, than would have been necessary to bring them out in the firstplace upon the third angel’s message. This class must unlearn beforethey can learn aright, else the poisonous weeds of error would grow