I felt deeply moved by the Spirit of the Lord Sabbath afternoon [October 13, 1888] to call the minds of those present to the love God manifests to his people. The mind must not be permitted to dwell on the most objectionable features of our faith. In God’s Word, which may be represented as a garden filled with roses and lilies and pinks, we may pluck by faith the precious promises of God, appropriate them to our own hearts, and be of good courage—yes, joyful in God—or we may keep our attention fastened on the briars and thistles and wound ourselves severely and bemoan our hard lot. (3SM 163.4) MC VC