Those who cling to old customs and hoary errors have lost sight of the fact that light is ever increasing upon the path of all who follow Christ; truth is constantly unfolding to the people of God. We must be continually advancing if we are following our Leader. It is when we walk in the light that shines upon us, obeying the truth that is open to our understanding, that we receive greater light. We cannot be excusable in accepting only the light which our fathers had one hundred years ago. If our God-fearing fathers had seen what we see, and heard what we hear, they would have accepted the light, and walked in it. If we desire to imitate their faithfulness, we must receive the truths open to us, as they received those presented to them; we must do as they would have done, had they lived in our day. Just before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed for his disciples, “Sanctify them through Thy truth; thy word is truth.” It is the duty of every one to search the Scriptures for himself. We cannot accept the assertions of men as infallible. To those who oppose and denounce our faith we say, Show us from the Bible that we are in error. God’s word is to judge us at the last day, and we want to know what saith the Scripture. We are regarded with jealousy and bitterness because we will not accept as evidence the assertions of men and the testimony of the Fathers; but we cannot purchase peace and unity by sacrificing the truth. The conflict may be long and painful, but at any cost we must hold fast the word of God. “The Bible, and the Bible only,” must be our watchword. I would say to those who have turned their feet into the way of God’s commandments, It is not enough to profess to keep the law of God; do you carry its precepts into your daily life? To profess the truth and not be sanctified through it, is to dishonor God. We want the truth on every point, and we are to put it in practice daily. Come to Christ in simplicity and faith, and he will enlighten your understanding, and enable you to walk so humbly and circumspectly before your fellow-men that they can speak no evil of you except for the same reason that men spoke evil of Christ. While you follow in the path of humble obedience day by day, you will be gaining a living experience in the things of God,—an experience which you must have in order to stand in the troublous times before you. I thank God that the light has come to this place. Although it may seem that you are all alone here, yet you are not alone; for Christ is with you; you are in blessed company. You have the words coming down the line from prophets and apostles, to encourage you to steadfastness. Many of these holy men lost their lives for their faithfulness to God. If you suffer for the truth’s sake, remember that this is no more than others have done before you. What trials and afflictions Paul endured, yet he says: “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” As the wickedness of the wicked increases, opposition will be brought to bear upon you closer and closer. Satan has many batteries prepared to open upon the people of God. You will have troubles and difficulties to meet, such as you never experienced before,
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