p. 53 | LETTERS by Sarah Griggs

Publishing Committee · Saratoga Springs, N. Y. · Nov 25, 1851

LETTERS.

By Sarah Griggs

From Sister Griggs.

DEAR BRO. WHITE: The third angel's message found me in darkness, and without hope; and in the language of the Psalmist, I can say, "My feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped." After the tenth of the seventh month '44, we continued taking the papers from Boston and Rochester, expecting to receive light from them; but when they began to throw out darkness rather than light, in removing the ancient landmarks, by setting new dates for the termination of the 2300 days, entering into controversies on different questions, and affirming the seventh month movement not of God; which I could not credit, I lost relish for them.

Not knowing what to believe, in this state of mind the world began to attract my attention, and mesmerism coming along, and calling itself a science, caught me in a snare. While on this enchanted ground the Lord sent his servant here to warn me of my danger, and declare his last message of mercy, that I might be rescued from the devouring enemy. O, praise to God forever, who has delivered me from that snare of the Devil, and who will deliver, for in him I trust. "For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, against that day."

Pray for me all ye that have communion with God, that I (though not deserving the least of his mercies) may, with you, "be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in this last time," when the last child of God shall be sealed.

Dear brethren and sisters, let us strive to die daily unto sin, and not be conformed to this world, but be transformed into the image of Jesus, for he loves to see his people bear his likeness, "who is holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners." Live as strangers and pilgrims here, walking in all the ordinances of the Lord's house blameless. Then will the God of Jacob be our refuge in the time of trouble, which is fast approaching.

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities. Heb. iv, 15. Who is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Heb. ix, 24. And by his own blood hath he entered into the Heavenly Sanctuary, to make atonement for his people, and obtain eternal redemption. O, what a halo of glory shines around these precious truths. Praise the Lord for the sounding of the third angel's message, which is bringing out his children in the unity of the Spirit, from the darkness and wanderings whither they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day, Eze. xxxiv, 12, that they may know where to stand, even keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. And this work will go on until all the jewels are sought out of the rubbish which has been thrown upon them.

My heart melts with gratitude and praise to God that he has called after me, with a loud voice, "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation." Rev. xiv, 9. I had long been convinced that the seventh day was the Sabbath of the Bible, but the message of the third angel shows it to be a mark, or sign, between God and his people forever. Ex. xxxi, 13, 16, 17; Eze. xx, 11, 12, 19, 20. And those whom John saw standing with the Lamb on the Mount Zion, were marked with the "Seal of

the living God, having his Father's name in their foreheads. Rev. vii, 2, 3, and xiv, 1.

The sign, or mark of the beast, is evidently the keeping of the first day of the week, instead of the Holy Sabbath, which God did not command; but was instituted by that power which should think to change TIMES and LAWS. Dan. vii, 25.

May God keep his scattered ones from the mark and worship of the beast, and his image, which is in our midst, and from partaking its spirit, and grant speedy and eternal deliverance from its power, is the prayer of your unworthy sister in Christ.

SARAH GRIGGS.

Avoca, (N. Y.), Oct. 15th, 1851.