Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

precious: “Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for My name’s sake, said,Let the Lord be glorified: but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.”*****Chapter V - Opposition of Formal BrethrenFor six months not a cloud intervened between me and my Saviour. Wheneverthere was a proper opportunity, I bore my testimony, and was greatly blessed. At timesthe Spirit of the Lord rested upon me with such power that my strength was taken fromme. This was a trial to some who had come out from the formal churches, and remarkswere often made that grieved me much. Many could not believe that one could be sooverpowered by the Spirit of God as to lose all strength. My position was exceedinglypainful. I began to reason with myself whether I was not justified in withholdingmy testimony in meeting, and thus restraining my feelings, when there was such anopposition in the hearts of some who were older in years and experience than myself.I adopted this plan of silence for a time, trying to convince myself that to repressmy testimony would not hinder me from faithfully living out my religion. I often feltstrongly impressed that it was my duty to speak in meeting, but refrained from doingso, and was sensible of having thereby grieved the Spirit of God. I even remainedaway from meetings sometimes because they were to be attended by those whom mytestimony annoyed. I shrank from offending my brethren, and in this allowed the fearof man to break up that uninterrupted communion with God which had blessed myheart for so many months.We had appointed evening prayer meetings in different localities of the city toaccommodate all who wished to attend44