During the last nine years, from 1855 to 1864, I have written ten small pamphlets, entitled, Testimony for the Church, which have been published and circulated among Seventh-day Adventists. The first edition of most of these pamphlets being exhausted, and there being an increasing demand for them, is has been thought best to re-print them, as given in the following pages, omitting local and personal matters, and giving those portions only which are of practical and general interest and importance. Most of Testimony No. 4 may be found in the second volume of Spiritual Gifts, hence, it is omitted in this volume.
(4bSG 1.1)
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November 20, 1855, while in prayer, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly and powerfully came upon me, and I was taken off in vision. I saw that the Spirit of the Lord has been dying away from the church. The servants of the Lord have trusted too much to the strength of argument, and have not had that firm reliance upon God that they should have. I saw that the mere argument of the truth will not move souls to take a stand with the remnant, for the truth is unpopular. The servants of God must have the truth in the soul. Said the angel “They must get it warm from glory, carry it in their bosoms, and pour it out in the warmth and earnestness of the soul to those that hear.” A few that are conscientious are ready to decide from the weight of evidence, but it is impossible to move many with a mere theory. There must be a power to attend the truth; a living testimony to move them.
(4bSG 1.2)
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I saw that the enemy was busy to destroy souls. Exaltation has come into the ranks, and there must be more humility. There is too much of an independence of spirit indulged in among the messengers. It must be laid aside, and there must be a drawing together of the servants of God. There had been too much a spirit like this, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Said the angel, “Yea, thou art thy brother’s keeper. Ye must have a watchful care for thy brother; be interested for his welfare, and cherish a kind, loving spirit toward him. Press together; press together.” God designed man should be open-hearted, and honest, without affectation, humble, meek, with simplicity. This is the principle of Heaven. God ordered it so. But poor, frail man has sought out something different—to follow his own way, and carefully attend to his own self-interest.
(4bSG 1.3)
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