Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

Advent Experience 55My health was very poor, my lungs were seriously affected, andmy voice failed. The Spirit of God often rested upon me with greatpower, and my frail body could scarcely endure the glory that floodedmy soul. I seemed to breathe in the atmosphere of heaven, and rejoicedin the prospect of soon meeting my Redeemer and living forever in thelight of His countenance.The waiting people of God approached the hour when they fondlyhoped their joys would be complete in the coming of the Saviour. But [56]the time again passed unmarked by the advent of Jesus. It was hard totake up the cares of life that we thought had been laid down forever. Itwas a bitter disappointment that fell upon the little flock whose faithhad been so strong and whose hope had been so high. But we weresurprised that we felt so free in the Lord and were so strongly sustainedby His strength and grace.The experience of the former year was, however, repeated to agreater extent. A large class renounced their faith. Some, who hadbeen very confident, were so deeply wounded in their pride that theyfelt like fleeing from the world. Like Jonah, they complained of God,and chose death rather than life. Those who had built their faith uponthe evidence of others, and not upon the word of God, were now asready to again change their views. The hypocrites, who had hoped todeceive the Lord as well as themselves with their counterfeit penitenceand devotion, now felt relieved from impending danger, and openlyopposed the cause they had lately professed to love.The weak and the wicked united in declaring that there could beno more fears or expectations now. The time had passed, the Lordhad not come, and the world would remain the same for thousands ofyears. This second great test revealed a mass of worthless drift thathad been drawn into the strong current of the advent faith, and beenborne along for a time with the true believers and earnest workers.We were disappointed, but not disheartened. We resolved to submitpatiently to the process of purifying that God deemed needful for us,and to wait with patient hope for the Saviour to redeem His tried andfaithful ones.We were firm in the belief that the preaching of definite timewas of God. It was this that led men to search the Bible diligently,discovering truths they had not before perceived. Jonah was sent ofGod to proclaim in the streets of Nineveh that within forty days the