Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, tomeet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfortone another with these words.’“This is high authority for our faith. Jesus and His apostles dwell upon the event ofthe second advent with joy and triumph; and the holy angels proclaim that Christ, whoascended to heaven, shall come again. This is our offense, believing the word of Jesusand His disciples. This is a very old doctrine, and bears no taint of heresy.”The minister did not attempt to refer to a single text that would prove us in error,but excused himself on the plea of a want of time. He advised us to quietly withdrawfrom the church and avoid the publicity of a trial. We were aware that others of ourbrethren were meeting with similar treatment for a like cause, and we did not wish itunderstood that we were ashamed to acknowledge our faith, or were unable to sustainit by Scripture; so my parents insisted that they should be acquainted with the reasonsfor this request.The only answer to this was an evasive declaration that we had walked contrary tothe rules of the church, and the best course would be to voluntarily withdraw from it tosave a trial. We answered that we preferred a regular trial, and demanded to know whatsin was charged to us, as we were conscious of no wrong in looking for and loving theappearing of the Saviour.Not long after, we were notified to be present at a meeting to be held in the vestryof the church. There were but few present. The influence of my father and his familywas such that our opposers had no desire to present our case before a larger numberof the congregation. The single charge preferred was that we had walked contrary totheir rules. Upon our asking what rules we had violated, it was stated, after a littlehesitation, that we had attended other meetings, and had neglected to meet regularlywith our class. We stated42